A World So Cold
by Haruka Hana
Summary: Voltaire vows to reclaim Kai, will the dark pheonix be reborn? Chapter XXXIII excerpt,'What had once been a vast echoing and aching hole, a vacuum that had torn at his soul greedily trying to devour it to fill that hollow space, was now something completely different.' *Completed*
1. Passion's Lost

Disclaimer: I don't own this beautiful tortured song or this beautiful tortured Kai, but neither do you MWAHAHAHA. It's only fair, if I have to admit it, so do you ^_~

Warning: This will have some dark moments; blood, torture, and possibly death. You have been warned.

Author's Note: While not my first fic, this is my first attempt at Beyblade. Please read and enjoy, then review ^_^ I have never seen the history on Kai's parents or the origin of Dranzer in the anime, so I made my own. There will be some minor changes to the known story to accommodate my idea of Kai's past. I'll try to keep Kai true to his character, but he will be a bit more vocal than portrayed in the animation. I mean it would be a very short story if he wasn't, i.e. 

"Look out, Kai! It's Voltaire!!" 

"Hn" 

*silence*  

See, it needs more. Anyways, enjoy!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter I: Passion's Lost**

It was the night after the conclusion of the Russian championships and laughter and shouting filled the hotel room. Rei had just been released from the hospital and an impromptu party had broken out. The boys who shared the common room usually thought it was quite large, but with the BladeBreakers, White Tigers, All Starz, and Majestics all gathered together eating and celebrating, the room seemed much smaller.

"I knew we'd win 'cause I'm the best blader in the whole world!!" A small fist was waving wildly in the air as Takao bounced joyfully among the other boys. The loud pre-teen suddenly stopped in mid-jump, turning to the black haired boy who was watching him with an amused smile. "Rei, I'm sorry. We wouldn't have won without you. You're the best!"

"To Rei," cheered their blonde team mate, raising his glass of coke. The toast was quickly repeated by all the celebrating bladers, the White Tigers cheering the loudest, of course.

"To the BladeBreakers, we can accomplish anything together," Rei countered, with a toast of his own.

The noise level rose swiftly as the boys enthusiastically took up the new cheer. Rei sat in the midst of the activity letting the laughter wash over him. He found that he was still pretty worn out from his match at the championship and was satisfied to just sit and enjoy everybody else's celebrating. Inquisitive as a cat, his amber eyes took in the activity of the room. Rei laughed softly as Takao returned to wolfing down anything and everything that came under his hands. The Chief  was easily spotted hovering over his ever-present laptop, in deep conversation with Emily. Max was a bit more difficult to find, but Rei eventually spotted him in the middle of the All Starz team. The taller bladers had been obscuring him from view, but Rei's keen hearing enabled him to distinguish the blonde's cheerful voice among the background noise. Rei smiled fondly at his team mates and friends. _Everything is back to normal._

His smile faltered slightly as he failed to find Kai among the celebrants. Looking around, he finally spotted his silent team mate leaning against the far wall, half hidden in the shadows. The quiet boy stood in his usual pose, arms crossed and head slightly bowed. His slate-colored hair fell forward shadowing his face, but Rei could see his crimson eyes watching the room. Rei wondered if it was just chance that Kai was standing in the one place where all of the entrances to the room could be observed. A small frown ghosted across his face. _Yep, back to normal. I thought we had reached him out on the ice, but he's still separating himself from us. He's going to tear himself apart. _

Rei closed his eyes with a soft sigh. _Maybe I can talk to him tonight. Maybe he'll open up if there's no one else around._

When he opened his eyes again, he blinked in surprise. Kai was gone. A quick look around revealed the main door shutting quietly behind a gently flowing white scarf. _Yeah, and maybe cats love water._

***outside***

A lone figure moved with instinctive grace and silence through the lonely streets. The only signs of his passage were the brief glimpses of his form seen when he moved in and out of the dim light cast by the widely placed street lamps. Despite wearing his usual blue cargo pants, black tank, and trailing white scarf, the boy showed no sign that he felt the biting cold of the Russian winter. Kai strode swiftly and assuredly through the deserted streets, to all appearances he moved with purpose. No one watching would have believed that he was actually feeling lost and confused, roaming with no destination in mind.

Below his feet, Kai felt the street gently climbing. When he looked up, he saw a large, stone bridge crossing over a frozen river. The bridge was draped in shadows. _Perfect, the shadows will conceal me. And on the bridge, there are only two possible routes for anyone approaching._

Kai moved to the apex of the bridge and leaned against the cold stone balustrade, his crimson eyes drawn to the frozen water below. He whispered softly into the night, "Would it have been better if I had let the ice take me?"

That day on the frozen lake had changed so much in him. He had let the ambitions his Grandfather had carved into him become his only passion, his only reason to live. He had betrayed his team and all the other bladers for the strange pull that he felt from Black Dranzer. It wasn't until he battled against his ex-team that he realized that he wasn't using his passion to battle and win, it was using him. When he lost, he lost more than the bey battle, he lost his connection to Black Dranzer. That sudden emptiness had almost destroyed him. His shock holding him on that cracked ice flow more surely than the cold could. The icy water clawing its way slowly up his body.

_And yet, somehow, even after I betrayed them, they still reached out for me. They told me that they wanted me on the team, that they wanted to be my friends._

"Friends…" 

Kai's soft murmur held a mixture of confusion and wistfulness to it.

"I never really had true friends before. Except for…" Kai's brilliant crimson eyes darkened as his thoughts started reaching back.

He turned away from the ice below and leaned back against the frozen stones. Before his recent return to the abbey, Kai had had no memories of his past. His life had started the day he crept out of the hold of the cargo ship he had stowed away on. When he had stepped onto shore, he had not known where he was, where he came from, or even who he was. Those first few months had been very hard. He had lived on the street, barely surviving. It hadn't helped that he had not known the language of the strange world he had landed in. Despite all this, Kai had survived. _I never really understood how I was able to endure it. Starvation. Exposure. The constant attacks and ambushes of other desperate street kids. Until I had proven my strength and established my own gang, it was an ongoing battle just to survive._

Kai looked down at himself, studying each component of his usual outfit. He had built his appearance after he had established himself on the streets. It was based on two things; first off, to show strength, power, and intimidation, and secondly, to cover the scars that decorated his body. _I think it may have been the scars that helped me survive those first few months. I knew that if I had been able to survive them being placed on me, then I could survive anything. They probably even decreased the number of challenges I received on the streets. Most kids backed down after they got a good look at me._

Although the clothes covered the scars from the prying eyes of others, that was not the reason he wore them. He used them to hide the scars from himself. The scars represented a life he didn't remember, a life that he had been sure that he didn't want to remember. And yet, the memories had invaded his mind when he infiltrated the dark abbey. 

His eyes became shadowed, haunted by the memories of the one person he had ever trusted, the memories that he had unknowingly betrayed. His hand instinctively sought his blade and he felt its usually comforting heat infusing his palm. His face twisted into a grimace of remembered pain for an instant before he could replace his impassive mask. But as practiced as he was at hiding his feelings, he couldn't quite banish the shadows that lingered in his eyes.

Kai's eyes burned intently as they scanned the roads leading to the bridge. In the past three years or so, Kai had been hunted down by his grandfather 4 different times and each time Kai had managed to elude his determined predator. Kai chuckled darkly at the memories. _Damn arrogant bastard, he always has to come and gloat in person about finding me before he sends someone to retrieve me. That's all the warning I ever needed. Even when I didn't remember him, I knew there was something wrong, that he couldn't be trusted. And now that my memories have returned I know what he is truly capable of._

"I need to get out of here. Now that my grandfather has tracked me down, he'll probably try to take me again."  

Kai's thoughts were confused as he tried to determine the best course to take. Normally, deliberations were easy for him. He had always closed himself off from his emotions and therefore made decisions based on facts and calculated risks. Now, however, he felt the new found emotions clouding his mind. The normal drive and passion to win, to become the best, were missing and his emotions seemed to be warring with themselves as to which one would fill that empty hole. 

Kai closed his eyes to the night, trusting his sharp ears to give him warning. He spoke softly to the night wind, trying to settle his thoughts and find his path.

"If I stay, he might come after me directly. I've certainly done enough to piss the old man off. But as devious as he is, he could decide to come at me through my team. I know what he can do, I've endured it before, I'm pretty sure I can do it again if need be. I don't think the same is true for my team mates." 

_My friends? _Kai was inundated with images of Rei, Takao, Max and the Chief, all suffering at the hands of his grandfather. _I can't let him hurt anyone else because of me._

"If I leave, I can escape Grandfather, maybe permanently. It wouldn't be too hard to start over in a new country, but I'd have to leave blading behind. I'm sure that's how Grandfather has been able to track me down in the past. I would also have to abandon my team. Again. They'd be safer without me, but I don't think they'd understand. They may even think I betrayed them again."

Kai reached into his pocket and brought Dranzer out. He looked down at his bit beast, gripping the blade tightly to his chest as if it were his only life line. _If I escaped and brought you with me, I'd be denying  you the chance to fight beybattles. It wouldn't be fair to you, Dranzer. I've experienced the joy you feel when battling against a worthy opponent, I can't deny you that._

"Dranzer, you'd be better off with Rei or one of the others, but I don't think I could let you go again. Now that I remember everything, I just don't know if I could survive without your strength. Everyone's always saying what a selfish bastard I am, I guess they were right." A bitter laugh drifted across the ice as Kai returned the beyblade to his pocket.

There were no answers in the chill wind that tugged insistently at his long scarf. Kai stood quietly as the night moved past him, his newly reborn emotions continuing their internal struggle. Kai felt something akin to pain as he fought to control them. The new emotions seemed to cut his soul with serrated edges, they felt rough and unfinished.

_Fear of… vulnerability…loneliness…pain…loss…betrayal_

warring with 

_Hope of… acceptance…friendship…freedom…happiness_

A sharp crack from the ice below broke his concentration and Kai looked up at the waning moon. He had no idea how long he had stood on that icy bridge waging his private battle, but he knew it was time to make a choice. 

Kai turned away from the bridge and the ice and walked off into the cloaking shadows.

---------------------tbc

^_^ I'm not sure, is that a cliff? *giggles* 

I know what's going to happen next, but you'll have to stick around to find out. The good news is I have done a quick free form outline of the entire story, so this is a fic that will definitely get finished. Of course, I make no guarantees about the speed of my updates, it all depends on how well I feel the chapters flesh out as I write them.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed.

*bows low* Please review!!!! Anyone who writes knows that reviews make the days seem brighter. Bring the Sun!!!


	2. Trust is Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing *gins evilly* But I'm certainly having fun borrowing.

Warning: Voltaire is an evil SOB. I think that says it all. (well, not all, after all, I'm going to tell you just what a bastard he is.) Oh yea, story will contain violence and expletives, some sooner, some later.

Author's Note's: Thanks for the wonderful reviews. The sun is out, the birds are singing, and there's poor Kai in the shadows. Gotta love him!!!  Sorry this is short, I generally write longer chapters.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter II: Trust is Gone**

***earlier that day***

The sound of laughter carried on the brisk wind. Despite the winter cold, the Russian children were enjoying the last light of the day in the park. When their parents called for them to come in for the night, the children waved cheerful goodbyes to one another. They returned home with pink cheeks and happy smiles, knowing that their parents would be waiting for them with hot chocolate and a warm fire.

A black car with darkly tinted windows sped by the park, but the man inside took no notice of the children. He stared balefully out the window watching the night creep in. The sun was falling in the west, painting the sky with brilliant shades of red and gold. The glory of it was lost on the man, he was far too busy brooding over the events of the day.

He reached into the hidden cache in front of him and pulled out a bottle of Vodka. Normally he didn't drink, but today he would make an exception.

All his plans for domination, his plots and schemes, everything that he had worked toward for the last 30 years had suddenly slipped through his grasp.

"Everything had gone the way it was supposed to. My grandson was fulfilling his duties and almost all the ancient beasts had been captured. I could see the fear growing in the eyes of those watching the battles. I was moments away from seizing the world as my own."

He glanced back out the window to try to focus his thoughts, but the crimson and gold highlighted sky seemed to only anger him further. 

"The world would be mine now if it weren't for you, my traitorous grandson. I gave you everything, strength and power. I made sure you were trained to have no weaknesses, no emotions. And despite all your training, you betrayed me."

Voltaire's took another shot of the vodka, his hands shaking with suppressed rage. His grandson had cost him much that night. He had not only stopped Voltaire's grand plan, but he had destroyed Biovolt as well. The Russian police had arrested the company president directly after the championships ended. It had cost him a lot of money to fix that inconvenience, money spent on expensive cut-throat lawyers. Of course, that was nothing compared to what he had spent to destroy all evidence of Biovolt's culpability in the scheme for world dominance. 

_I didn't have enough time to dismantle and move everything, so instead I had to settle for destroying it. All the labs, training facilities, and engineered beasts that had been housed in the abbey and at corporate headquarters are no more. Biovolt is dead._

Voltaire spared no thought to those who had been silenced to protect himself and his ambitions. Numerous scientists, trainers, and students had been literally cut from the project to prevent any possibility of their speaking to the police.

The large man shattered the bottle in his hand as he clenched his fists in anger. "Kai, you've allowed that team of idiots to drag you down to their level.  I never thought you would allow yourself to be weakened by such foolish emotions. Obviously, I can no longer trust you to follow your training. I will have to see that you are taught better."

The light outside the car was fading quickly. Voltaire looked out to see the black night pushing the golden-red sun out of the sky. _I was delayed too long in that police station. I'll have to move quickly if I am going to reclaim him before he disappears again. _

Voltaire brought his fist heavily down on the glass pane that separated him from his driver.

 "Faster, you fool! There is much to do."

-----------------------tbc

*hides* 

Don't kill me!! I promise Kai is in the next chapter. Anyone want to guess where the phoenix might be? (and please get your minds out of the gutter, he's not in it ^_~ )

I also promise some action. A good fight to stir the blood, or shed it ^_^  
  


Please, review! Reviews keep me going. More reviews make me happy and that makes me write faster. Since I don't normally write Beyblade, I need reviews to let me know if I'm doing well.

I usually write about my beautiful Sasuke. If anyone has had the misfortune of not hearing about the anime Naruto, I'm here to save you. If you love Kai, you'll die for Sasuke. Dark, beautiful, intelligent, tortured, and out for revenge. My absolute fav to torture these days. 

*laughs* In fact I'm updating now to distract myself from the slow download of the most recent episode. The preview showed Sasuke beaten and lying in a hospital bed with someone standing over him holding a knife. AAARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! Faster Kaaza, faster!!

BTW, the next chapter will be **Way Too Long  *laughs***

*that's the title, not the time it will take to update or the length * 


	3. Way Too Long

Disclaimer: *looks down at self* Nope, still me. Obviously, I don't own Beyblade or any characters therein. *damn*

Warning: Some talking, some violence, a little blood. *I know you want it ^_~*

Author's Note: I know there are those who love yaoi and those that hate it. I enjoy both yaoi and non-yaoi fics as long as they are well written. If you are a fan of instant, hot yaoi-love in a fic, you will probably be disappointed in my story. Being a firm believer in subtlety, I am not going to write anything overt in this fic (Also, due to the fact that I never heard Kai/Rei say "Rei/Kai, I LOVE you!!!" in the anime). 

I do believe that there can be strong love between friends, and not the romantic kind. This being said, I welcome you all to bring your own views into this story. Please interpret it however you want, all I ask is that you read and enjoy!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter III: Way Too Long**

The door to the hotel room silently opened the barest fraction of an inch, the dark silhouette of the intruder pausing briefly to listen for sounds of activity within. Hearing nothing, the shadowed form slipped in quickly, quietly closing the door behind him.

_Fools. Guess no one taught them the importance of locking up._

Giving his eyes time to adjust to the darkness within, the figure fumbled briefly with the door behind him before turning to scan the room. The room was in disarray, it was pretty obvious that there had been a hasty and careless clean up after a large party. On the far side of the main room, on open door revealed a large bathroom shrouded in darkness. Dismissing this open door, the intruder noted two closed doors, one to his left and the other to his right. Moving with trained stealth, he approached the door to the right with no more noise than a shadow. 

The door moved easily under his hand, swinging inward to reveal the occupants inside. The bedroom seemed tinged by a soft blue light, making it easy to see the sleeping children. There were three beds inside, but only two were occupied. The first bed held a small blonde boy sleeping peacefully. The shadowed eyes seemed locked on the small angelic smile on the sleeping boy's innocent face, only turning away when the soft rumble of snoring caught his attention. In the bed adjacent to the first, a dark haired boy was also fast asleep. In, of course, being a figure of speech. The second boy was lying mostly on the floor, hugging his pillow tightly, but because his feet and legs were tangled in the blanket, they remained on the bed. Despite having fallen from his bed, and his current position of sleeping on the floor, the boy snored blissfully away. The third occupant of the room was easy to spot, since he was next to the source of the dim light. Beside a laptop with a slowly strobing blue screensaver, a brunette boy was asleep with his head in his arms, his thick glasses on the desktop beside him. The position of the sleeper looked as uncomfortable as the boy on the ground. Cautiously, the intruder started moving into the room, taking care to be as silent as possible. Suddenly, the screen of the laptop came to life. 

"What was that? Who's there?"

At the sound of the laptop's feminine computer-generated voice, the shadow retreated swiftly from the room, closing the door behind him. Frozen beside the closed door, the intruder listened for sounds that would indicate the computer had awakened the sleepers. After a short while, with the only sound being the snores of the dark haired boy, the shadow turned his attention to the remaining closed door.

Soundlessly, he crossed the main room to the opposite side. With more caution than used on the previous door, the shadow slowly opened the door just enough to peek inside. The room was masked in shadows, the only light was that of the waning moon coming through the large windows of the balcony. The pearly moonlight didn't so much lighten the room as it highlighted certain things. Through the small opening, the intruder saw a single bed, its undisturbed white bedspread seemed to glow softly in the gentle light. Hearing and seeing nothing, the dark form pushed the door wide enough to reveal a second bed. This one seemed a mirror image to the first, it had the same soft glow and it too was unoccupied.

Startled by this, the intruder opened the door fully to see the entire room. Scanning the shadows within, the figure suddenly froze in place as he was caught by the reflection of moonlight off what appeared to be amber gems hidden within the deep shadows. The darkness seemed to shift as a slender form leaned forward on the coach, the slight movement allowing the amber-eyed Chinese boy to be seen fully in the pale light.

"I was wondering when you would show up."

The dark silhouette had initially tensed in alarm when he was caught by those eyes, but upon hearing the friendly tone, the form visibly relaxed. Shutting the door quietly behind him, the shadow moved forward into the faint moonlight. Ruby met amber, but unfortunately had no reply.

"Hn"

Rei smiled at what could only be considered as a typical response from Kai. _But things change. He is not the ice man he shows to the world._

"Kai, I don't mean to invade your privacy or anything, but we were worried about you. Where were you?"

Kai sighed imperceptibly and moved to sit on the side of his bed. He glanced out the window across from him, stalling slightly for time. _Well, I guess I made my choice, but I don't know what to do now. I want to trust them and accept their friendship, but I just don't know if I can._

"I needed to think, so I took a walk."

Rei shook his head slightly at this response. He knew that the temperature outside went well below zero after the sun set and he could see that Kai had not worn anything to protect himself from the cold. Moving to stand beside Kai, he reached towards his probably frozen shoulder. But before he could touch him, Kai shifted violently aside, glaring up at him.

"Don't touch me."

Rei sat down defeated on his own bed. They sat in silence facing toward each other, but neither really looking at the other. Kai continued to stare out the window behind Rei, while Rei stared down at the ground. Rei collected his thoughts, determined to reach his friend somehow. _Alright, that was a dumb move. Time to start fresh, I gotta work off what I know. First, Kai has been known to answer tersely or even ignore questions, especially from Tyson, but I've never seen him ignore a serious question or statement. Secondly, I've never heard him tell a lie. When he speaks, it's always what he means. I've never even heard him tell a white lie, the kind everyone uses to spare another's feelings. Of course, that may not have been a priority to him._

The Chinese blader smiled a little at that thought, but was satisfied with what he had reasoned out. _If I speak to him seriously and am patient with his terse answers, I may be able to get a lot out of him before he can throw up his barriers. Right, let's see if this works._

"Kai, what did you need to think so hard over? Maybe I can help you with it."

"…."

Rei sat quietly in front of Kai, determined that his patience could outlast his friend's reticence.

"I just…" Kai's voice faltered slightly, "I needed to think about what I should do now."

"What did you come up with?"

Kai looked directly into the amber eyes watching him. "I was thinking it might be time to leave."

Rei managed to keep the shock from showing on his face. He was determined to show Kai that he was listening to him seriously and without judgment.

"Well, that's one option. Another choice is to stay with us and continue to train. And, Kai, remember, it's not just blading, we're your friends and we like having you around."

"I know, you told me that on the ice." Kai looked away from Rei and added almost too softly to be heard, "That's part of the problem."

Rei's sharp ears, however, caught the soft words. "I don't understand how having friends could be a problem."

Kai looked back at the serious face watching him. It had always been easier for Kai to talk with the black haired blader. He was good-natured and fun-loving like the others on the team, but he knew when it was time to be serious and get down to business. Kai had always admired Rei's ability to blend the fun and serious sides of himself. _Unlike the others, Rei understands that the world is not just made of sugar and rainbows, that pain and fear also make the world go round._

"Let's say a complication then. I always knew what I had to do to be strong, to be safe, but now there are a lot more factors."

_That was a slip. 'To be safe.' That's what I need to find out. _Rei nodded at what Kai said, hiding his concern at what he had sensed under the words. 

"That's true. The White Tigers are my friends, but there have been some difficult times. Even with that, though, they are my friends, just like you and the 'Breakers. I know my friends will always be there to give me strength and support."

"Hn"

Rei waited. He had purposely spoken passionately about friends to try to provoke Kai into a blunt answer. _Maybe another slip._

"You wrong, Rei. Friends can betray you. They can hurt you and abandon you. You shouldn't trust so freely. Team mates, friends and family can all turn traitor. If you don't watch out, you'll get hurt."

This time Rei was unable to mask his reaction, his golden eyes widened in surprise at Kai's response. _After we found out about Biovolt and Kai's grandfather, we all knew that Kai had been raised in that abbey. From what Kai told us, the training sounded harsh, but I bet there were a lot of things he didn't tell us about._

"It sounds like you've been hurt a lot by people you trusted. I know you probably don't think you can trust anyone, but believe me when I say we'll always be there for you. If you ever need help, I want you to know you can come to me." 

Rei stared intently at Kai, trying to will him to believe him. He was unable to read Kai's face because Kai had looked away, his slate hair falling to cover his eyes. Silence seemed to reign in the room.  Finally, the silence was broken as Kai stood abruptly and walked to the window. Kai stared out at the sliver of moon, too ashamed to turn and face his team mate.

"You're wrong Rei…I never wanted your trust or friendship because I only cause pain to those around me. I have hurt and betrayed those who have trusted me. I have caused the deaths of both friends and family. Now by staying here, I am selfishly endangering you all."

Shocked by this confession, Rei stared numbly at the rigid back of his now silent companion. He let his gaze drop to the floor as he tried to process everything. _I have never been able to claim I really know Kai, but I can't believe he would ever kill anyone. He can come off as cold or uncaring, but he has been there for us when we really needed him. If you really think about it, he never really betrayed us. Usually, a person is loyal to family above all else, even if that family is doing something wrong, but Kai turned on his own grandfather to save us. No matter what he says, I believe in him. I trust him._

Rei turned back to Kai, words of support at his lips. However, he never got a chance to speak them. All he saw was a dark blur coming at him fast. He was knocked off the bed by the tackle and felt his head impact hard on the ground. He struggled to regain the breath that had been knocked out of him.

The sudden explosion that rocked the room did little to help Rei recover his senses. In fact, he found that except for the stars he was seeing from hitting his head, he couldn't see anything beyond the shadowy form covering him. The room was shrouded in smoke from the explosion. Shattered glass and debris lay all around him. Kai's limp body was lying collapsed on top of him, but he couldn't see his friend's face. Kai's head was resting on his left shoulder, facing away from him, but Rei knew he was alive because he could feel the faint rhythmic breathing against his arm. As Kai shifted up away from him, he felt the soft breath by his ear and heard Kai's soft apology.

"I guess I stayed for way too long. I should have left earlier. I'm sorry, Rei."

As Kai pushed up off Rei, Rei could see multiple cuts bleeding freely from his arms. A horizontal cut slashed across his normally pristine blue markings leaving a trail of blood running down his cheek. Amber eyes looked into dark rubies and saw only sorrow. Too dazed and shocked by what had happened, Rei was unable to react when an arm reached out of the darkness and smoke to grab Kai in a choke hold. He could only watch as the crimson eyes widened in surprise_,_ _or maybe fear, before Kai disappeared into the obscuring smoke._

Rei crawled to edge of the bed, shaking his head to clear it. He couldn't see anything going on in the room, but he could hear muffled shouts and the sounds of flesh impacting on flesh. _Somewhere in that confusion, Kai's in trouble. I have to help him, but I can't even see him. _

He strained his ears to try to find out what was happening in the concealing dust and smoke. Harsh voices yelled at each other in a language Rei couldn't understand, but none of the voices sounded like Kai's. Urgent pounding could be heard from the direction of the bedroom door. From the other side of the door Takao, Max and Kenny could be heard yelling for their team mates to answer. Their clear voices seemed to contrast sharply with the cruel shouting inside the room. 

"Rei, are you okay?!? Kai, what's going on in there? What's going on, someone answer me!!"

Rei tried to answer, but the thick smoke choked him. Crouching low, Rei decided to try to get closer, to help Kai. A large crash sounded from the direction of the couch. Rei moved towards the sound, staying low to avoid the worst of the smoke. _That sounded like something crashing through the coffee table. I hope he's alright._

The smoke was moving in slow swirls as the cold winter wind pushed into the room. Though cold, Rei was glad of it, he could finally see some of what was happening. He saw that the explosion had thrown the railing from the balcony across the room to land wedged against the door. It was because of this, that his friends continued to pound uselessly at the door, unable to force it open. Farther away, he saw three shadows locked in combat. As he watched, the smallest shadow grappled with a larger one, finally tossing it with a judo technique over the back of the couch to land beside another limp body. Rei smiled in relief at the smaller form. _That's got to be Kai._

His relief didn't last long though, as the remaining shadow took advantage of Kai's divided attention. One massive arm wrapped around Kai's neck as the other pinned his arms behind his back. Cruel laughter was carried on the chill wind to Rei's ears. That was when he finally noticed the last enemy emerging from the now rapidly departing smoke. As the light illuminated the man's face, Rei decided he liked it better when the smoke had obscured him. The man might have been good looking at one time, but that was only in his own distant memories. Terrible burns covered most of his face and extended into his collar. The skin itself resembled nothing more than soft, melted wax, having the same sort of ripple effect that can be seen on calm ocean waters.

Hate seemed to emanate off the scarred man as he approached the still struggling Kai. Rei knew that he had not been noticed yet, and was determined to use this to his advantage. He crept quietly towards the two men who held his friend captive. He couldn't understand the words that the disfigured man said to Kai, but he could feel the menace behind them. Rei had closed half the space between them when he saw Kai's feet lash out at the man who had stepped foolishly into his range. Though staggered by the blow, the man did not fall. The man's black eyes blazed with rage as he shouted at Kai. Kai remained silent in his captor's grip watching the blood flowing freely from his enemy's broken nose, his only acknowledgement to the man's screaming was the slow smirk that appeared on his face. Infuriated by Kai's smile, the man launched himself at the defenseless boy slamming blow after blow into his unprotected body. Kai's face seemed to drain of color as the man holding him tightened his grip crushingly on Kai's arms and throat. 

Rei had seen more than enough, he sprinted the remaining distance and threw himself at the man holding Kai. Taken by surprise, the man was knocked aside easily by the black haired blader. His grip slackened as he fell and Kai fell limply to the floor. Rei saw the bruised and bloody form of his friend lying on the ground and wanted to check on him, but was far too busy grappling with the large man he had tackled.

"Hey! Whoever you are, we've called the police. Opened the damned door and we'll let you leave…Rei! Kai! Come on guys!! Just answer me!!" Takao's loud voice carried easily through the door and over the sounds of fighting.

Things were not going at all well as far as the scarred man was concerned. He backed away from the fighting, looking around for the rest of his retrieval team. He looked with disgust at his two fallen comrades, lying amid the wreckage of a coffee table. Turning to the fight still raging, he watched as Rei snapped a kick at his opponent's head. The larger man fell back, momentarily stunned. _I bring the elite, men I personally trained, and two children best them. Piotre could not even beat that small Chinese boy. It's unforgiveable. It's time for a change in tactics._

Kai fought his way back to consciousness, his rapid breathing sounding harsh as it tried to move through his bruised trachea. Pain flared across his right side and abdomen. Taking a quick mental tally of his injuries, he pushed himself up off the floor before setting his mind on trying to come up with a way to get himself and Rei out of the situation. _Feels like three cracked ribs, possibly some internal bleeding, bruised windpipe, and a hell of a lot of cuts and bruises. All right, none of that should slow me down too much right away. I have to get to Rei and get out of here. Since the door is blocked, we'll have to go out by the balcony. We could probably jump down to the balcony below. It'll have to do, I just have to get_

*BANG*

At the sound of the gunshot, complete silence fell. The sounds of fighting, the pounding and calls of his friends, even the very sound of his harsh breathing all stopped. Kai's head bolted up to look for Rei. He felt his heart had stopped too when his spotted his friend. Rei's hands clutched at his chest, his long hair, loosed in the fighting, fell forward hiding his face. As Kai watched, Rei seemed to crumple, his limp body hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Kai felt the fires within him rise as he saw the moonlight glinting off the gun that the scarred man had just used to shoot his friend. He leapt forward determined to take the man down quickly. _There's still time. If I take you out, then I'll be able to get Rei to a hospital. I will show you no mercy._

*BANG*

----------------tbc

*giggles* Oops, I guess the disclaimer at the end of the last chapter didn't hold true. I'm sorry if you felt you had to wait way too long to read this chapter. Or if you felt it was way too damn long to read.

This was a harder chapter to write. My other fics are more introspective, more on thoughts and feelings than words or action. I really wanted to keep Kai and Rei in character as much as I could and still develop a trust, or bond. I hope I succeeded. I'm sure you'll let me know one way or the other. ^_~

Thanks for the reviews!!! I wasn't sure I'd get any with a chapter devoted completely to Voltaire. 

**Thanks!!!**

For bringing me the sun, I wanted to give special thanks to Cherrii (better known as Ra the sun god) and Frostt (points up, what do you think, Frostt? Was that a cliffie?)

For giving me 3, count them 3 reviews, A*a*a*k*i*, I gotta say, I luv ya! I luv ya! I luv ya!

For the encouragement, thank you Krixel, Dream555, Identity Thief, Kai baby-girl, and a girl. For some odd reason, I love these tortured characters.

Well, as always, thank you for reading! Please be sure to review. Like my namesake, I flourish in the light. Bring the sun!!!

BTW, the next chapter will be **Children Crying **


	4. Children Crying: Day 1

Disclaimer: Well, another chapter, another disclaimer. These sure don't any get easier with practice;_; I don't own any animes or songs. *sniffles*

Warning: I think the chapter title is a good warning ^_~ Be aware rating may go up in later chapters.

Author's Note: Thanks to those who have been reading and enjoying my story. Special thanks for reviewers will be at end of the chapter. This chapter was turning out to be too long, so I cut it into 3 pieces, representing three days passing. For it to work in my outline I'll keep the label Children Crying, but distinguish them by day. You'll see what I mean. 

*Cheshire grin* I hope you enjoyed hanging from my cliffie, now, on with the story!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter IV**

**Children Crying: Day 1**

 _Something's wrong. It's so dark. My body's so heavy, I feel like I'm buried. No, like I'm underwater, so deep the light can't reach me. Am I dreaming? I don't understand! Where am I? What the hell happened! I feel like I've lost something, but I don't know what. _

_Wait, what's that? Voices? Someone's out there, beyond the darkness. If I find the voices, maybe I can find the light. I have to get to them, have to find…_

"uuuhh…."

At the sound of the soft groan, the voices suddenly went silent. 

_No! I can't hear them anymore. I'm close, I know it. I feel something. I'm lying down, it's soft, a bed?  Someone's next to me, I can feel the bed shifting. Several someones. There! I can hear them, they're louder, closer. Almost there. Almost…_

Struggling against the darkness, heavy eyes blinked slowly. Several smiling faces came into focus hovering over him. A boy with dark blue hair was leaning over him grinning like a fool. _Takao. Beside him was a small brunette hugging a laptop with a small smile of relief on his face. _Chief.___ A blonde boy with bright blue eyes completed the circle of concerned faces. The blue eyes sparkled with the tears that were running freely down his face, but his smile was just as big as Takao's. _Max.__

_I remember now. The explosion. The fighting. They were outside pounding on the door. They must have gotten in somehow and saved us. I wonder how. It doesn't matter, as long is everyone's okay. Everyone…_

Eyes wide with fear, the injured boy struggled to sit up. His friends urged him to lay back down, but finding it useless, reached out to support him instead.  Searching every corner of the bare hospital room, the keen eyes could find no evidence of his missing friend.

"Kai…Where's Kai?"

Rei was answered only with silence. He became more frantic as the others looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Come on, guys! Answer me already! Is he in another room? How badly was he hurt?"

"He's not in the hospital."

Rei turned to stare into Takao's eyes, they glittered with unshed tears in the harsh glare of the hospital's lights. He shook his head, refusing to understand.

"I know Kai doesn't like hospitals, but I saw him get hurt. Even if he refused, you should have brought him in!"

Rei felt the bed shift as Max moved closer to him. Tears still falling, the blonde boy pulled Rei into a gentle embrace. Rei felt his soft breath at his ear as he quietly answered Rei's angry remarks.

"I'm sorry, Rei. We tried, but we couldn't get to you guys. At least, not until the police came and forced the door. When we finally got through…you were so still…and we had heard the shots…we thought you were dead, Rei. We looked, we really did, but… we only found you. Kai wasn't there."

Long black hair fell forward to hide his face as Rei let his head drop onto Max's shoulder. Slow tears fell to dampen the blonde's shirt. Feeling his tears, his friend tightened his arms protectively around him.

"Rei… Rei, we need to know what happened."

Rei pushed back from Max and settled back against the bed. Wiping away his tears, Rei focused on the small brunette who was setting his laptop up on the bedside table.

"The more we know, the better chance we have of finding him."

Rei nodded at this. He knew that the Chief was right. Quickly, he summed up what had happened that night after Kai had returned to their room. When he finished, the others just sat silently beside him. They didn't know how to respond. The chief was the first one to speak up.

"You said these guys spoke a different language? Since we're in Russia, that's probably what they were speaking."

"Well, duh, Chief. That's pretty obvious. Maybe you could tell us something we didn't know."

"Takao, there's a lot we don't know. We need to start out with everything that we do know. We can't figure anything out if we don't have a place to start from."

Max nodded in agreement, "I think it's safe to say that they were also obviously targeting Kai. He's the one they attacked, and even though Rei was there too, he's the only one they took."

"Fine, so some Russian guys kidnapped Kai. How does this help us find him?"

Rei shook his head at Takao's impatience, silently listening to the boys arguing. Although he had told them about the conversation he had with Kai before the explosion, he hadn't told them the conclusions he had come to. _If I'm right, then…___

"Guys, I think I know who kidnapped Kai. It's his grandfather."

Hearing this, the others just stared at him. Takao couldn't help but think of his own grandfather. He was annoying, always trying to either fit in with Takao's friends or ambush him for more training. But as irritating as he could be, Takao couldn't even imagine him doing something so cruel. Grandfathers just couldn't do that.

Seeing their disbelief, Rei went on. "Think about it guys. I think everything Kai told me about leaving and about us getting hurt if he stayed was all related to his grandfather. His grandfather is the one that sent him to train at the abbey. He's also the one that gave him Black Dranzer and was using him to try to take over the world. You remember seeing how angry Voltaire was when Kai came back to our team. Who else would be angry enough to attack Kai?"

"You may be right, Rei," the Chief nodded solemnly. "It would make sense. Voltaire has enough money and enough people working for him to pull off something like this. And, anyways, it's a good place to start. We can search the abbey first."

"Right, let's do it."

Rei tried to push himself off the bed, but fell back as his body protested. Max and Takao were at his side instantly, their hands on his shoulders keeping him laying down.

"Wrong, the first thing we do is wait for you to get better." Max shook his head at the look Rei threw him. "I mean it Rei. You've been unconscious for almost 24 hours. The doctor told us that you were hit with a powerful tranquilizer, one strong enough to take down an elephant. He wasn't sure you'd even wake up. That's not even mentioning that besides the obvious cuts and bruises, you have a broken collar bone and you sprained your right wrist. This is the second time in two days that you have been in the hospital. You're not going anywhere until the doctor releases you."

Rei turned to glare at the other boy holding him down.

"Oh no you don't, I've been glared at by the best of them. Max is right. The doctor said you could go home tomorrow if you rest quietly tonight so just concentrate on getting better. The chief and I will see what we can dig up on Voltaire. We'll also tell Mr. D what we think happened. Max will stay with you tonight to make sure you're resting. Tomorrow, after you're released, we'll hit the abbey and find Kai."

Searching their faces, Rei saw that they would not make any compromises. He sighed and relaxed back against the mattress. 

"Fine. You win. I'll rest here tonight, but tomorrow, no matter what, we go get Kai."

The others nodded solemnly at this. Looking over at the clock on the wall, Takao tapped Kenny on the shoulder and indicated that it was time to go. They each gave Rei a brief hug, then left the room heading back to the hotel to research Voltaire. Max got up from beside Rei and settled back on the nearby couch, all the while keeping an eye on him. Rei sighed at this, but couldn't help the small smile that appeared.

"Look, Max, I'm not going anywhere. Go to sleep. I promise I'll be here in the morning."

Max smiled in return and shut his eyes. "Alright, Rei, but I'm going to hold you to that."

Despite feeling the lingering effects of the strong sedative, Rei was unable to fall asleep. His thoughts kept going back to the last thing he had said to Kai. _'If you ever need help, I want you to know you can come to me.' I promised to be there for him, to help him if he ever needed me. But I don't even know where he is! Kai, I hope you're alright. I promise, I'm coming, I'll find you as soon as I can._

-----------tbc

*smiles angelically* 

I'm afraid I may leave you hanging with these next few chapters. I hope your hearts can take it. Maybe these fanfics should have warnings like those for amusement rides. *laughs*

Quick Note:

It's kinda funny, I've read some great stories where the author is actually blackmailing readers for reviews. "Read and review or you'll never see what happens to your precious Kai!!! MWAHAHAH!!!!" 

Of course, I've laughed at this, thinking, 'if a story is enjoyable, people won't need threats to review.' But let me tell you, it's getting tempting. ;_; I do promise, I will never resort to blackmail, no matter how much I want reviews *sniffles*. 

You do understand what this means, don't you? I'll have to resort to begging. Yeah, that was pretty obvious wasn't it? Here's the deal: I write, you read and enjoy. Reviewing is your gift, not my demand. Thanks!!

Special Thanks to:

**Cherrii****: Yea!! Ra, the sun God came back!! Sorry for the fall. My, aren't you talented, talking the whole way down. I hope you didn't hit too many rocks in this chapter before the next cliff ^_~ So, do you think I'm mean enough to kill Kai? Rei on an avenging rampage might be fun ^_^**

**Dawn35:***laughs* since your name basically sunrise, I'll take it as a given that you bring the sun ^_^ I've been reading your story **A Scorched Path.** I promise to review, it's already on my fav story list. I'm so glad you updated again!! I hope you take this shameless plug for your story as a rain check until I get a chance to read/review your latest chapter. Keep writing, it's good!!

**Summing up the Stars: **Thanks for the encouragement. I must say you have some great stories. Ice Roses and My Reason are very intriguing, so I gotta say, UPDATE!! COMPLETE!!!  I'll check back and review any updates ^_^ I'm being bad, begging for chapters ^_~

**Jea****: I tend to be a night owl, too. Not great when I have to get to work so early _ Thanks so much for the review, I love when someone tells me I'm doing well. If you write, too, let me know, I'll check you out ^_^**

That being said,

*bows low*

please continue to enjoy my story, and Review!!!! *laughs*

Coming soon…**Children Crying: Day 2**


	5. Children Crying: Day 2

Disclaimer: n. [Usenet] Statement ritually appended to many Usenet postings (sometimes automatically, by the posting software) reiterating the fact (which should be obvious, but is easily forgotten) that the article reflects its author's opinions and not necessarily those of the organization running the machine through which the article entered the network. *grins* Tired of stating, thought I'd define it ^_~

Source: _Jargon File 4.2.0_

Warning: Look out for falling rocks and sudden cliffies.

Author's Note: This is day 2 of Children Crying (obviously). I hope I'm doing an okay job of keeping people in character. It's really important when it comes to dialog. Please let me know if there is any confusion in who said what. I do know there are a lot of Kai kidnapped and Rei to the rescue fics, probably because they are so fun, and they're my favs. Sorry Takao and Kenny fans, but I could do without those two. Max is sweet and fun, but not as interesting to me. Hence, big on Kai and Rei. I do hope that you find some new twists when I start digging into Kai's background and that the action, and suspense, keeps you coming back. Reviewer thanks at the end. Please enjoy!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter V: Children Crying**

***Day 2***

"Come on, Grandpa. Can't you go any faster?"

"Hey little Dude, I got the peddle to the metal."

The small rental car sped dangerously fast down the icy road. The four bladers packed tightly in with Takao's grandfather driving. The boys had tried to get in touch with Mr. D, but hadn't been able to reach him. All his secretary could tell them was that he was out of the office on serious BBA business. Max, Takao and Kenny were scrunched together in the back, they had insisted Rei have the front seat since he was injured. It was a good thing too, because every time the car took a turn the three small boys slid roughly into each other. 

"Takao, I know you're anxious to get to the abbey, but crashing won't get us there any sooner." Max was getting tired of being smashed between Kenny and Takao. 

"Max is right," Rei said from the front seat. "We won't be able to help Kai if we don't reach the abbey."

_Kai, we're coming._

Looking out at the darkening sky, Rei quietly said to himself, "I think I can understand why Kai hates hospitals. I had to wait all day for that doctor to stop by and clear me to be released. At this rate, it'll be night before we get there."

"Hey guys, look at that!" Takao shouted excitedly, pushing himself up to peer between the two front seats. "Wow, it's so beautiful!"

The other boys looked out the front to see the sky ahead painted with various shades of red and orange. For the first time since the boys had jumped in the car, the car was silent for more than 5 minutes as the boys admired the shifting colors decorating the sky. The silence was finally broken by the clear voice of the blue-eyed blader.

"Um, guys? Do sunsets usually last this long?"

"Hmm, you're right Max," Kenny said opening his laptop. "Dizzi, I need a compass."

"Your wish is my command, Chief." The small laptop tapped into its GPS locator and triangulated the route of the car. A small 3D compass appeared on Kenny's screen.

"This is bad, guys. Real bad."

"What's up Chief?" Max asked, looking over Kenny's shoulder.

"According to this compass, we're heading east towards the abbey. Guys, that can't be the sun setting."

All heads turned to stare in shock at the blood red sky touching the road ahead of them. No one spoke again until the car came to a stop next to the source of the false sunset.

"No!!"

As one, the boys leapt out of the car as soon as it had stopped. Kenny stood, cluthing the open car door, Dizzi momentarily forgotten in the back of the car. The other boys were already setting off at a sprint away from the car. Takao's grandfather managed to grab Takao and Max before they could run forward more than a few steps, but Rei was already too far ahead. He paid no attention to the people he ran past, his eyes remained locked on the stone fortress that was awash in flames. He didn't stop until he slammed into a large figure that had suddenly stepped out in front of him.

"Owww," Rei clutched at his left arm. The sling he was wearing to stabilize his broken collar bone wasn't able to help him much when he impacted against the man and then the ground.

"I'm sorry Rei, but I couldn't let you get any closer. It's too dangerous."

Rei looked up to see Mr. Dickerson standing in front of him, offering him a hand up. He didn't take the proffered hand, but stared past the man at the flames greedily consuming everything around them. He watched as firemen swarmed around the abbey trying vainly to control the fires. Mr. Dickerson looked sadly down at the stunned boy. Reaching down, he easily picked up the slender blader, physically setting him back on his feet. He kept his hands on Rei's shoulders to prevent the boy from trying anything foolish.

"Mr. Dickerson, what happened?" Rei was unable to move, he felt overwhelmed with questions. He needed answers, and Mr. Dickerson seemed the best one to give them. "Why are you here? How did the fire start? In fact, how is a stone abbey burning!?! Is Kai in there?!?!"

The man waited patiently for the questions to stop and then answered as best he could.

"Rei, I'm here because the BBA is investigating Biovolt. I notified Voltaire that I would be here today to assist in the search, but when I got here the place was on fire. I don't know how the fire started, but I suspect that it was set. That would explain how a stone building could be engulfed so readily. As far as Kai being inside,…I just don't know. The firemen can't put it out enough to get inside to help those trapped by the flames."

At this, Rei looked into the searing flames, his sharp ears picking up something he hadn't noticed before. His amber eyes went wide in horror as he heard the screams of those trapped inside. He struggled to get out of the large man's grip. _Kai! No, I have to help him. It's not too late. I can't be too late!!_

Mr. Dickerson picked up the struggling boy and carried him away from the fire and back to the car. After placing him in the front seat, he ushered the others into the car as well.

"I'm counting on you to get them safely back to the hotel. I'll come as soon as I've found out what happened."

Takao's grandfather just nodded and started the car. Mr. Dickerson watched the car driving away from him. He could see the flames reflected in the wide eyes staring out from the rear window. When the car had passed out of view, he turned back to the abbey searching for the fire chief and some answers of his own.

--------------------tbc

Aren't I nice? I updated in a day! Reviews make me so happy, I write faster just so I can get more ^_^

I'm already almost done with Day 3, I just need to polish it and make sure my info's straight. I definitely don't want to get too far into the story and have conflicting ideas.

*oh, I'm putting teasers from newly posted chapters into the summary for my story on FF. Trying to attract more reviewers *_* Let me know if it helps. Hope you like ^_^*

Special Thanks to:

**Cherrii: ***dances in joy* I'm on Fav author list. *laughs* Is this a quick enough update? ^_^ Ask and thou shalt receive (oh, wait, you're the god @_@). I'm glad you came prepared for upcoming cliffies. See, it's all part of my master plan. You are Ra the Sun God, therefore you should know how to fly. I figure if I throw you off enough cliffies, you'll figure it out. *laughter turns evil* If you think I'm mean now, wait until I poke holes in your parachute at the end of **Day 3. *MWAHAHAHAHAHahahahahaha***

**SquirrelOfShadows: ***smiles* Neat name. Yeah, I know there are a lot of Kai, Rei and Voltaire fics out, but I hope you enjoy my take on it. I do tend to emphasis emotions in my fics, hope they are at least in character. *waves bishie Sasuke in salute* To Naruto!!! I finally got that ep. Downloaded and Sasuke was only in it for about 5 mins (unconscious the whole time). AAAAARRrrrrrrrrghghgghghhghhhhhhh!!! I hope you will check out my Naruto fics. Soul Unsheathed was my first fanfic, and my personal fav so far (sorry, mina for the shameless self-promotion). It is about Sasuke, very dark and emotional, focusing on his views of those around him. Anyone who is intrigued, check it out and let me know what you think.

**Anomynous: **Hate to say this, but has Kai ever truly been alright? Poor boy has been tortured all his life. Thanks so much for the review, it really makes my day. Please stick around to see the further tortures…ahem…adventures of Kai and friends (if he ever really admits it).

As always thanks for those how are reading my story. Please don't allow the quick updates to stop you from reviewing the last chapter *_* (I know wishful thinking) Every Ray of light brightens my smile (corny as hell, but true), so, please, Bring the Sun!!!!

(do I need to say it?) Coming soon…**Children Crying: Day 3**


	6. Children Crying: Day 3

Disclaimer: I own Kai's family, because I invented them. Wait, yuck!!(who wants to own people who could do that to Kai?!?) I want to own Kai!!!! *sniff* But I don't *sniff*  Waaaaaaaiiiiiiii!!!!

Warning: Information overload and an evil cliff ahead. The warning sign has been posted.

Author's Note: Please remember, I told you early on I would make some changes to what might be considered the accepted history of Kai. (Please no flames for what I know I'm making up) This chapter will give some of Kai's family history away. I will develop it more as we go along. Names are presented as they would be in the appropriate country; Russian names are written with family name last and Japanese names are written with family name first. I hope this isn't too confusing. At the end of this chapter, I have included translations of names. Special thanks at the end as well.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter VI: Children Crying**

***Day 3***

Three morose boys sat in the main room of their new hotel suite. The dark shadows that lingered under their eyes spoke volumes of the sleepless night they had just spent. Though they had tried to go to bed when they arrived back, they had found sleep impossible. So throughout the night, they had drifted into the main room one at a time. Maybe they did so because they knew they would not be able to sleep. Maybe it was because they needed to be in the company of friends and know that they were still safe. Or maybe it was simply because they knew Kai and still believed that he would just casually wander in through the front door like he always did after disappearing on his own, acting for all the world as if nothing had happened. 

Rei had found his bedroom particularly intolerable. His friends had set up the usually sleeping arrangements while he had been at the hospital. They probably had done it to reassure him that Kai was coming back, but they hadn't know what they would stumble into while searching for Kai. Rei had spent countless hours in the lonely night staring at the empty bed next to his. Finally, able to bear it no longer, he threw back his covers and stepped out of his bedroom in the pre-dawn hours, only to find the others sitting quietly on the couch in the main room. He joined them in silence.

Dawn came and went with only the sound of Kenny's rapid typing disturbing the room. Kenny was surfing the net with Dizzi's help looking up any info he could find on Voltaire. Each boy sat lost in thought as light and shadow fought for supremacy in the room. Time passed and even though it was almost noon, even Takao remained silent, his usual never-ending hunger forgotten for the moment.

"This isn't getting us anywhere." Rei couldn't help but vent his frustration.

""I think we are taking the wrong approach, guys," Max was determined to wake his friends out of the depression they had fallen into. "We were only at the abbey because that was our first clue. That doesn't mean Kai was there. Let's go over everything Kenny learned about Voltaire. We just need another clue to help us find Kai."

"Right," Kenny pushed Dizzi to the center of the table so the others could see her screen. "We found out quite a bit, I started my research with Voltaire's parents. Here's what we've found so far."

Dizzi picked up the thread at this point, "Voltaire's father was a wealthy Russian businessman, he was reputed to have gained his money by being ruthless in all regards. He married a woman from Japan named Hiwatara Kuraiko. It was hard to track down any information on her, but we did find out that she was cast out of her clan. It seems she was supposed to marry the eldest son from an elite family, the Houou clan, but that he refused her shortly after the betrothal. Her family was so shamed by this, they exiled her."

"Man, that's harsh." Takao felt sorry for the distant woman. "Just 'cause she didn't marry some guy, they threw her out."

"Right, anyways," Kenny glossed over Takao's interruption. "Shortly after they were married, they had Voltaire. He was an only child. His mother died when he was 18 and his father passed away 5 years later. Even though he was still pretty young, he took over running all his father's companies. I guess his father had groomed him for that. He also changed his name. His name was Vladislav Voltaire, but after his father died, he dropped his first name and adopted his mother's maiden name as his family name. He spent a lot of that time traveling, mostly to Japan. That's where he met his wife, a woman named Hotaru."

"Hey Chief, did you see this?" Dizzi broke in. "I found an article in a Japanese newspaper. It seems their marriage caused quite a big scandal. She was already engaged to a man named Houou Reichou when she ran off with Voltaire."

"Houou?" Max turned to look at Kenny, "Wasn't that the family that refused the marriage with Voltaire's mother? That's a really strange coincidence."

Rei shook his head. "I don't know guys. Voltaire doesn't seem like the kind of guy that has coincidences. I'd bet he plans everything."

"Forget that," Takao jumped in impatiently, "Let's get to Kai."

Sighing, Kenny continued, "Right, we're almost to Kai. Voltaire and Hotaru only had one child, a daughter. Hotaru died giving birth to her, Voltaire named her Marya. He continued to travel between Russia and Japan on business, leaving her in Russia for school and Japan in the summer. According to Kai's birth certificate, she had him when she was 16."

Kenny stopped abruptly at this. "Whoa, that's not much older than we are now."

Takao snickered, "Guess Voltaire wasn't a very good father if he couldn't watch out for her any better than that. I bet he was mad when he found out."

Rei brushed aside Takao's remarks. "You said there was a birth certificate. Who's Kai's father?"

Bending over Dizzi, Kenny tapped away at the keys. When the information he was searching for finally appeared, he sat back in defeat. 

"Sorry, Rei, the name of the father isn't on it."

"Alright, we don't know his father, but Kai should still have family. I mean besides Voltaire. Where's his mother, Marya?"

"As far as I can find, Rei, Voltaire is Kai's only family. I couldn't find any specifics, but it looks like Marya Hiwatara died in a fire almost 4 years ago."

The room lapsed into silence at that, each boy momentarily trapped by their memories of the fire at the abbey. They were startled back to the present when the main door opened behind them. They looked over to see Mr. Dickerson standing in the doorway. His normally white hair was black with ash and soot lay heavily on his usually impeccable suit. His face was also blackened with the ash, except for a small area running down each cheek that seemed somehow cleaner.

Quietly he walked over and sat in the chair across from the boys, their eyes remained riveted on him waiting for him to speak.

"Boys, I'm…" He closed his eyes, looking away for a moment before he could continue. "The firemen finally got the fire out around 1 am. They just finished their preliminary investigation a short while ago and it was definitely arson. Small explosives were set up throughout the abbey. It seems gasoline soaked rags and other flammable materials were also placed to help the fire spread. Approximately 25 people were killed in the fire. The only thing that survived the fire was a fireproof safe which contained medical records on all employees."

Again he had to pause, his voice too choked to continue. When he began again, his eyes sparkled brightly with unshed tears.

"In a cell below the abbey, we found the body of a young man. It was burned beyond recognition, but because of the information we found….we think…we were able to identify…" The boys could see fresh tears flowing down his clean cheeks.

Rei could tell where this was going. He leapt off the couch, standing in front of Mr. Dickerson with his hands clenched tightly. "No!! You're wrong, Kai's too strong. He can't be dead."

 "Kai's too smart to get caught like that." Takao shouted angrily, finally catching on to what Mr. Dickerson was trying to say. "Remember, he escaped from that abbey twice already. I bet it's a trick. I bet he escaped and… and…"

Mr. Dickerson looked into the eyes of the boys in front of him. Each stare meeting his was full of anger and denial. He had wanted to spare them, but he knew they deserved the truth. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he took hold of the small hidden treasure he had placed near his heart. Knowing how much pain he was bringing into the light, he couldn't help but flinch as his brought his clenched fist into view.

"We found this with the boy, his body was wrapped protectively around it."

As his palm turned upward, he opened his hand to reveal the precious object. The four bladers stared in horror at the twisted and tortured remains of what had once been a beautiful blue beyblade. The only thing that remained recognizable was the bright bit containing the spirit of Dranzer.

"Boys, I'm sorry. Kai is dead."

------------------the end

MWAHAHAHAHAH *ducks flying blades (the sharp kind)*

Joking! Joking!! I meant ----------------------tbc

Name Translations: (This applies only to the names I made. Without the kanji, I can't give accurate translations to the Japanese names already in the series.)

Kuraiko – (Japanese) derived from kurai = 'having no light' and –ko = end suffix used for female names.

Houou – (Japanese) means 'mythical phoenix'; the phoenix in Japanese mythology is all about balance; yin and yang, male – hou and female – ou, death and rebirth

Vladislav- (Russian) means 'to rule with glory', derived from volod = to rule and slav = glory

Hotaru – (Japanese) means 'firefly'

Reichou – (Japanese) means 'leader with miraculous powers'

Marya – (Russian) equivalent of English name Mary, several possible meanings: i.e. 1) 'wished for child' or 2) 'sea of bitterness'; Masha is a nickname for Marya.

Hope you found that interesting, it sorta gives away some of my plot though ^_~

Now, on to the serious business at hand. If you ever want to know what happened to your precious Kai,…

*ducks more flying blades* 

*giggles*  Sorry, couldn't resist. Don't worry, I'm working on the next chapter. It's not coming along easily though, so I don't know when my next update will be. Even when I know where I'm going, I sometimes get lost along the way. Hopefully the next chapter will be up by next weekend at the latest.

Special Thanks to:

**Cherrii****: *scans sky for flying Ra, doesn't hear screaming bundle tied to ripped parachute plummeting from cliffie* Learned to fly yet? Need more cliffies? *giggles* Aren't I mean, but it could be worse, I'm only throwing you off cliffies, I just burned Kai alive (did I do that?). Thanks for sticking with me, I really look forward to your reviews! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. **

**Kai baby-girl: **Thanks for saying that my story is good and that I don't need to blackmail. I really appreciated that you reviewed chapters 4 and 5 even when you read them both at the same time. Thanks!!!

**Othela****: Soon enough for you? Thanks for the review.  So, do you really think Kai is okay *cackles evilly* Kai's not immortal, the phoenix must die before a new phoenix is born (I'll get into that later in the fic of course ^_~). Shameless plug: Mina, please read Othela's story ****Fallen. It's an interesting story about Kai, past and future, with a wiccan twist.**

*bows low* That being said, please continue to enjoy my story, and Review!!!! *laughs*

Like my namesake, I need the light. Bring the Sun!!!!!!

*huggles with chibi Kai for anyone who can figure out the translation of my name ^_^*

*don't worry, I have my bishie Sasuke to huggle, so I won't get lonely if anyone figures it out. Of course, if no one guesses, I get to keep Kai and Sasuke all to myself *_* (drools blissfully)

BTW, the next chapter will be **Cast Out and Neglected******


	7. Cast Out and Neglected

Disclaimer: Don't own anime, Kai or song, but I think I'm creating some good characters that I do get to say are mine. All mine!! Mwahahahaha!!!

Warning: Some obscenities and the reappearance of a mean SOB.

Author's Note: Well, I said I'd post before the weekend. I hope this chapter gives everyone what they want. As I'm writing, I keep developing new elements for the story so I'm trying to re-write my outline as I go. Cross your fingers that it doesn't delay me too much. Explanations for unfamiliar words will be at the end of the chapter along with special thanks.

*bows politely* Please read and enjoy!!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter VII: Cast Out and Neglected**

Echoing footsteps announced his presence long before the tall figure appeared at the top of the stairs. He strode confidently down the steps and into the darkness below. The diminished light didn't bother him, in fact, he actually preferred to move in shadows. Pale light spread diffusely from the small vents high up in the walls near the ceiling. The vents were too small to even be considered windows and currently seemed to be the only source of light in the dark passage.

After many turns and long corridors, he finally reached his goal. The cell was located in the heart of the underground complex. Its design and location made it nearly impossible to escape. Even if a person could escape from the cell, he would have to traverse a maze of passages only to be led into the heart of the complex. The man pushed back the blind that covered the small, barred window in the door. Inside the cell, the lighting was even worse, only a small square of light appeared in the center of the floor.

"Hn"

Disappointed by the veiling shadows inside, the man unlocked the cell door and pushed it open. The dim light from the hall spilled into the tiny room, casting his silhouette across the length of it. The man paused briefly inside the cell to allow his eyes to adjust to the darker room before stalking forward to stand before his objective.

In the distant past this man had smiled often. With nothing more than a smile he had been able to make a deal, charm a lady, or even intimidate a foe. He had always been aware of his own beauty and had used it to get his way in everything. _But that was before…_

Recently, he had felt that there were no more reasons to smile. He found that smiling actually hurt, the movement of the skin and muscles pulled at his tightly scarred flesh causing him physical pain. Yet despite all this, as he gazed down at the figure before him, he felt the corners of his mouth lift. The pain he felt didn't stop the smile, in fact, he reveled in the pain and felt the grin grow wider. He drank in the sight of his new happiness.

Shackled by his wrists and ankles, the slender figure of a boy hung from the wall before him. If he had been standing, the manacles that secured his wrists would have been at approximately waist level on the boy. The tall man smirked at this thought since the boy had not been on his feet since he had been hung there. The short length of chain attaching the manacles to the wall had allowed the boy to fall to his knees. The shackles around his wrists held his arms awkwardly up and out and they were the only things keeping him from lying sprawled on the cold, stone floor. 

The scarred man reached down and with an odd gentleness tilted the downcast face up and into the light. A trail of dried blood ran across the boy's cheek somewhat obscuring the blue markings that the man knew were there. Fresher blood trailed down from the corner of his mouth making a path down his pale throat and across the many small, thin scars that were usually hidden under his now missing white scarf. 

"Well, I finally have the pleasure of seeing you again." The scarred man spoke in a deceptively light tone. "Of course, you may not remember me. Everyone here calls me Hedeon. I have you to thank for my name, Kaibutsu."

Seeing no response from the limp figure, Hedeon released his grip and let the head fall forward. Silently, he dropped to his knees in front of the boy and in a deceptively tender gesture, Hedeon reached out to gather the battered figure into a gentle embrace. The shadows masked his feral smile as he looked up to see new blood running down both arms from beneath the shackles. Slowly he tightened his grip while leaning away from the wall that the youth was chained to. He pulled until he could feel the tension of straining muscles and ligaments. Anymore, and he knew he would wrench the boy's arms from their sockets. Chuckling darkly, he turned to whisper into his prey's ear.

"You're lucky you haven't dislocated both your shoulders hanging like that. Don't expect that luck to last. When I'm done with you, you'll know nothing but pain."

Abruptly, Hedeon released the boy and strode to the door. He paused only long enough to cast one last hungry look at the limp figure before closing and locking the cell door behind him. The grin stayed on his face as he walked away from the cell, contemplating the many possible smiles he would have in his future.

The last echoes of his footsteps faded off into silence. The dark cell was still, the only sound was the soft rhythmic breathing coming from the unmoving body chained to the wall. No movement betrayed the boy as his eyes slowly opened. The searching eyes were a deep, matte red, the same color as the dried blood on his cheek.

Though the boy had been conscious for quite a while, he had known enough not to reveal it. He had remained hanging in the same uncomfortable position as when he first came aware, unmoving for hours until his current captor had paid him a visit. Years of harsh lessons at the abbey had taught him well, but he had also learned some lessons of his own. The training had taught him things that his Grandfather only suspected. Despite the pain of his arms and the cruelty of Hedeon, he had managed to keep his true self in the shadows, to keep himself safe. His lips twitched up into a confident smirk.

_It's been several years since they 'trained' me. They don't seem to have as good a grasp as they used to for how long sedatives will knock me out. As long as they're this careless, I can continue with the possum act. If I'm 'unconscious,' they won't try to discipline me. It's not nearly as much fun for them if their victims can't scream. That arrogant jack-ass just had to come to lord over me. I need to find out who he is. He says he knows me, but I don't remember that ugly face or the name. If I can figure out our connection, I may be able to use it against him._

Kai reasoned that since he had just had a 'visitor,' it would be a while before another came to check on him. He scanned the room and seeing nothing that would reveal him, the boy grasped the chains attaching him to the wall and pulled himself to his feet. He couldn't quite suppress the soft groan as the tension was released from his shoulders. Once he had relieved his immediate discomfort, the boy swept the room trying to determine if there was anything useful to him.

_Chikusho__!! Another damn cell. I swear, Grandfather, you will pay for this. I don't understand why… Why do you do this? What did I do that was so evil that I deserve this?_

Angry at his discordant thoughts, he shook his head to clear his mind. 

_That's not helping any. I can't afford to get emotional now. It's strange, this cell seems so familiar for some reason, but this is definitely not the abbey. I know every inch of that place and I don't recognize this room from there. The stones also seem to be a lighter color than those at the abbey. _

_I could be anywhere by now, I'm not sure how many days I've been in Grandfather's hands, it's still pretty fuzzy. From the little pieces I can recall, it's been at least two days, probably no more than five. I can't believe how much has changed in just those few days. Not too long ago I was safe, I even had people who I could call friends. _

"Rei…" The word was not so much spoken as breathed into the dank air of the cell, said so quietly that not even the one who spoke it heard it.

**flashback*

Serious amber eyes stared into his, refusing to allow him to look away. 

"I know you probably don't think you can trust anyone, but believe me when I say we'll always be there for you. If you ever need help, I want you to know you can come to me."

**end flashback**

_Rei__._ I want to ask for your help now, but I don't even know if you're alright. I know now that it was a tranq that they shot you with, but I'm sure they had dosed it for me. If the others didn't get you to the hospital faster enough,…__

Due to his numerous lessons and disciplining at the abbey, Kai had developed a strong tolerance to most sedatives and pain relievers. Because of this, the crimson-eyed blader knew that the doses used by his captors were most likely lethal to anyone but him. _It's a real bitch for them when they try to knock me out, but a real bitch for me when I'm hurting._

He couldn't help running over the fight again in his mind, the sight of the Chinese blader falling to the floor. He knew that it was his fault that his friend had been hurt, _maybe killed._

_No, I won't doubt my team now. Rei said to trust them and that's all I can do right now. I have to trust that Rei is alright and that Takao, Max, and Kenny are all safe._

A slight tremor interrupted his thoughts and he suddenly found his body shivering uncontrollably. He closed his eyes and focused on control, but despite his concentration, he could not stop his body's trembling. _Must be due to my injuries, that and blood loss._

Gently Kai tensed and relaxed each muscle group causing his joints to flex and stretch. Reassured he had no major broken bones, he took a few deep breaths placing pressure inside his chest. A short coughing fit overwhelmed him as he felt an odd sensation in his chest, almost like a painful tickle. _Definitely have some broken ribs, but since I'm not coughing up blood, I don't seem to be bleeding internally. Good thing since there's not much I could do about a punctured lung.  Of course, the dehydration, deep muscle bruises, exhaustion and sedatives aren't helping at all. Still, I've had worse,…and may yet again._

The shudders that tore through his slender frame refused to stop. Unable to remain standing any longer, Kai slid down to the cold floor, once again hanging lax in the chains. He felt the chill seeping into his body from the cold stone floor. Struggling to remain conscious, he tried to concentrate on remembering all that happened since the fight at the hotel. It was a battle he couldn't win. His head sagged forward hiding the dying embers of his eyes as he faded back into the cold darkness of his memories.

---------------tbc

So, did you like my resurrection of Kai?

*angelic smile*

You didn't really think I would kill Kai, did you? If I killed him now, think of all the Kai torture I'd be missing out on. I mean I still have many more chapters to get through before I can even think of killing him. MWAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

Translation tips: 

Hedeon – (Russian name) means 'destroyer'

Kaibutsu – literally translates as 'monster,' Hedeon is using a play on words with Kai's name when he calls him this

Chikusho – Japanese obscenity, please choose your own for translation

Special Thanks to: (it's a long list. Yea!!!)

**Cherrii****: You bit me?!? x_X *runs in circles screaming* Now your trying to torch me?!?! Tasukete!! Dare ga tasukete!!!('Somebody save me!'). *runs face-first into cliff wall from last chapter*Oww!! No more matches for you. *hides under desk* I think I'll just stay here until the coast is clear. If someone would let me know when the torch wielding fan-girls are gone, I'll come back out and post the next chapter ^_~**

**Kai baby-girl:** Well, as you can see, there will be no funeral yet. I am planning on showing how Kai's death affects the others in an upcoming chapter (Aren't you lucky? I told you guys, but I haven't let his best friends know yet that he's alive). Thanks for commenting on the names I created/chose. Many cultures think that a name has a significant impact on a person's character, or soul. I did a lot of research to find names to fit the characters I created.

**Othela****: Very perceptive. Yep, Kai's alive and all we know is some corpse had Dranzer. Anyone want to start making guesses on who that corpse is? I'm actually still deciding myself.^_~**

**Frostt****: *sniffles* I'm so happy! Here you go. *hands over snow cone and acorn* Don't want you to melt again, hmmm, I could've sworn I heard a squirrel in here. As you can see, Kai's alive *ominous whisper* "for now' Hope you stick around to see what's next.**

**Summoning up the Stars: **Sorry it took me longer to update, I was busy reading all the reviews *giggles* Just kidding! I was working hard, I promise, so you guys don't stop the reviews. 

**Dream555:** Hope springs eternal, and so does Kai it appears. I'm glad your enjoying it!

**The Fire-breathing-ferret:** O_o Interesting name. Are you another torch wielding fanatic? I was good, see. Kai's alive and non-crispy. I'll be good, I promise, at least for today.

**Bizz****: Glad you enjoyed, here's the next chappie. I'm a sweetie, really.**

**Loz****: Umm, here's a Valium. @_@ Obviously there will be a twist, some of what happened will be revealed next chappie. Please stay tuned, Same Bey channel, same bey torture!!**

**aZneLeMeNtTiGeR****: Glad your enjoying. I tried playing with my spaces, you guys let me know if it's any better.**

**Rei****:** There, there. Kai's okay, see? Well, okay is all relative I guess ^_^

**Dawn35: **Sorry I missed you with the last chapter, I think you were reviewing as I was posting. I posted, now it's your turn. Go! Post! Now!!!! ^_^

*laughs* 

No one made an attempt with my name, but I have decided to award huggle rights to someone for picking up on something else.

*drum roll*

**Haunter_demon**** & Identity Thief get to huggle chibi Kai until the next chapter. I don't know if anyone else figured it out yet, but they were the first ones to mention it. I did say in the beginning that I don't own this song. I wanted to write a fic about Kai and 'World So Cold' by Mudvayne came on the radio. My outline is based on particular lyrics throughout the song. It's fun, but a bit challenging. I hope I'm doing a good job with it.**

*tosses chibi Kai between Haunter_demon and Identity Thief and watches fight break out over who gets first huggles*

I love to hide details within my stories. The next few chapters may have some confusing bits, but I promise to explain everything eventually. If you notice something you think is really odd, or not right, feel free to ask me about it, but unless I really goof, it will not be a mistake. (That was an odd sentence @_@)

*_* Thanks everyone for reviewing, I feel all warm and toasty inside!!

*sniff* O_O *sniff*

*looks around and sees butt on fire* AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

**Cherrii****, give me those damn matches!!!!!!!!!!!**

Ah *sitting in full bathtub fully dressed*

I hope you enjoyed, please leave a little light on your way to the next chapter. Bring the Sun!!!!

*giggles**please leave the matches at home*

BTW, the next chapter will be **So Cold**


	8. So Cold

Disclaimer: Tortured Kai, beautiful song, goofy show about spinning tops (*laughing* common guys, battling tops?) None of these are mine.

Warning: Fun with flashbacks, please try to keep up ^_~

Author's Note: I admit to having some trouble writing something serious that contains the words beyblade, dish, and 'Let it rip!" *giggles* I hope I am keeping it within the anime's feel, without losing too much. Obviously my story is darker, so bear with me. 

To make things easier for the reader, I am only writing key phrases in Japanese. I'm not even attempting Russian, I've never studied it. Please assume that if Kai's grandfather or mother is speaking, it is in Russian. Kai and Nadya speak in Japanese to each other, but Russian with his grandfather and mother. Older Kai speaks only Japanese as a sign of defiance to his grandfather. Did that clarify or confuse? 

Translation tips and reviewer thanks at the end.

*bows politely* Please read and enjoy!!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter VIII: So Cold**

The soft, hazy light of the monitor screens reflected off the dark eyes and gray hair of the man sitting in the pitch black room. Those in his employ knew that he had cameras throughout the complex to observe them, these were easily seen in key rooms and corridors. However, they did not know that Voltaire had left these cameras in plain view to keep anyone from looking for the hidden ones that he had strategically placed throughout the complex. Now, like a predatory spider, he sat observing all those he had ensnared. His eyes remained fixed on one screen in particular.

The room displayed seemed to be shaded with unusual colors, reds and blues highlighting the details within. Because this room was almost without light, the camera hidden in it had multiple capabilities that enabled the room to be seen clearly. As Voltaire watched, a deeply shaded crimson silhouette rose slowly to its feet, bands of blue ringed the figure's wrists and ankles. 

"My poor grandson, you think you can hide so much from me. Everything you do betrays you."

Dark laughter filled the room as he watched the figure begin to tremble. The bands of blue seemed to extend, radiating out to shroud the form in a cloak of dark blue. Slowly the shivering form collapsed to the floor, the blue halo smothering the blood red within.

"Have you lost your fire already, Kai?"

Voltaire continued his vigilant watch, as if he could pierce through the screen and see into his grandson's thoughts. _You're lost again in your thoughts, aren't you Kai? Where are you now?_

In the dark room, Kai's slender body shook as the cold invaded him. He fought alone with his memories. 

***flashback***

Darkness. Light. Darkness. 

A slender figure was carried slung over the back of a muscular man. With each step the man's shoulder rammed into boy's sore ribs and multiplied the sickness he felt from the effects of the tranquilizer. He was unable to struggle, his legs and arms bound tightly with wire. He could only watch the floor as the man carried him through dark halls and bright rooms. The last room was blindingly bright and burning red eyes closed tightly against the harsh light. He felt himself thrown forward to land bruisingly on a hard surface. Looking up out of the large bey dish, ice cold eyes met his and he could feel the glare attempting to smother the fire blazing within him.

"Welcome home, Kai."

***end flashback***

_Was it ever truly home? I can't even say that I ever really lived there, it was more about survival. A home is a place where you are accepted for yourself, regardless of faults. It's a place where you are loved and wanted. Didn't anyone ever truly love me?_

***flashback***

In the brisk autumn wind, a beautiful raven-haired woman walked among the falling leaves. She held on firmly to the small hand of the child walking beside her, smiling to hear his sweet voice singing. The increasing winds blew her long hair across her face and with her free hand she gracefully tucked the wild strands behind her ear, not wanting anything to obscure her watchful gaze. Her obsidian eyes were enraptured by the dark, gem-like green eyes that gazed adoringly up at her. 

"Nadya, are we almost there yet?"

Nadya laughed at the innocent child's question. Reaching down, she ruffled his dark blue hair. "Yes, my Akemi, it is just over that last hill."

She continued on, holding the child's hand until they reached the top of the hill. When they reached the summit, the small boy let go of her hand and clapped happily.

"It's a castle! Does Mama really live there? Will I get to meet her today?"

Impulsively, Nadia knelt before the child and hugged him tightly. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. _My beautiful child, always so bright, so happy. Anyone else would be anxious to be meeting their mother like this, but I have never seen you afraid of anything. You see joy in everything. It's selfish of me, I know, but I don't want you to meet your mother. I want you to be my son, my Akemi._

The small child started to squirm in her hug. Like all little kids, he had trouble staying still for very long. With a final squeeze, Nadya let go.

"Yes, she's in there waiting for us right now," Nadya covered her sadness with a bright smile and watched the child laugh happily and start off towards the stone fortress.

The child ran down the hill towards the large gate with the carelessness that is only seen in five year olds. She followed gracefully after him, arriving in time to see the large, imposing man standing by the gate. The small boy smiled brightly and jumped up into the man's arms.

"Grandfather!"

"Welcome home, Kai."

****end flashback***

Briefly, the warm memory slowed his tremors. He tried to stand, but found he still couldn't gather his strength. The inner fire that gave him his strength was missing.

_Why am I so cold? Something is missing from inside me. Dranzer!!!!_

***flashback***

Kai hung from chains directly above the bey dish. His Grandfather had been droning on for a while now, but he had stopped listening some time ago. He looked down at the dish below him, watching his blood pooling. This was a place he knew well. This was the dish he had trained on at the abbey. 

Noticing his inattentiveness, his Grandfather struck him across the face. His head snapped back and he felt the warmth, tasted the bitter tang of blood as it flowed from his split lip. His eyes blazed with hatred at the cruel man before him.

Seeing he had regained Kai's attention, the man continued. "I will not allow you to destroy everything I have worked for. You will do anything and everything as I tell you to. You will train until you have lost all your weak emotions. You will blade with Black Dranzer and no other."

Kai felt the blood in his mouth and spat at his Grandfather. "I will not do what you want. I will never betray my friends or Dranzer again."

Enraged by this show of defiance, the large man motioned abruptly and a lean figure stepped out of the shadowed hall behind him. After an approving nod from Voltaire, the figure turned his attention on Kai. As Kai locked eyes with his ex-team mate, the cruel blader smiled in anticipation. 

"You always thought you were better than me, didn't you," the pale lavender haired blader spoke in a voice dripping with venom. "Maybe you won't dismiss me and Falborg so easily after I'm done with you."

Pulling out his blade, he sent it flying towards the dish. The blade circled slowly, easily circumventing the small pool of blood. Kai refused to give Bryan the satisfaction of seeing pain or fear. His ruby eyes stared into Bryan showing only scorn.

"You're not better than me, you never will be. You're a pathetic fool who can only triumph over another when they can't fight back. Even chained, you still won't be able to defeat me. You'll always be a loser!"

With a snarl of rage, Bryan's blade began spinning rapidly below the ensnared boy. Released by his cry of anger, Falborg rose from his bit. The icy-white falcon loomed over Kai, flexing its long talons while echoing its master's rage with its own piercing cry. A cold wind picked up around the captured blader as the falcon beat its jagged wings in front of him.

Kai was unable to track the beast with his eyes. and even if he could, he would have been unable to defend against it. Icy winds slashed at him from all directions, shredding his clothes and cutting his undefended body. Sprays of blood soon decorated the dish, but the blade continued its path, avoiding the slick red splashes. He could feel his warm blood escaping from the new wounds as the beast continued its attack on him. He felt his fire dimming, as if he was losing it with his blood. 

"Dranzer!!!"

Voltaire's eyes widened as he saw his grandson call out his beast. He could only watch in amazement as the white falcon struggled fruitlessly to strike at the supposedly helpless boy. Flames seemed to engulf Kai, shielding him from the savage blades of wind. _Impossible, the beasts never rise unless they are called forth in battle. He shouldn't have been able to call the phoenix, he never brought out his blade._

"Enough! Bryan, stand down."

Falborg collapsed back into his bit as Bryan lost his concentration. Calling his blade back to his hand, the cruel boy glared daggers at the boy in front of him. The flames receded to reveal the bloody form hanging limply above the dish. Countless wounds could be seen, but the boy still retained his trademark smirk.

"I told you that you couldn't defeat me." 

Kai's voice was barely above a whisper as he strained to stay conscious. Angered by this taunt, the ruthless blader approached Kai with his blade set, ready to release a new onslaught.

"Bryan, I said enough! You have lost. Again. Leave, I will deal with you later."

Only one thing had ever scared this ice-hearted blader. Facing it now, the cruel boy had no choice but to obey. Reluctantly, he left to return to his quarters and await his punishment.

Kai turned his crimson eyes on the man now approaching him. His eyes seemed to burn from within with the fire of his beast, but the cruel man was not affected by this. He stood in front of Kai and reached up to caress the blue markings on his face.

"I told you before, that I would never allow you to win with that fire. You must be as hard as ice."

Roughly searching Kai, his Grandfather stepped away with his blue blade. Kai's eyes widened, betraying his fear at seeing his blade taken from him. Voltaire only smiled at this, closing his fist around it.

"You have no choice. You should consider Dranzer gone, dead. Like your friends, it is something you will never see again. You are my blade, my treacherous grandson, and one way or the other I will temper you. Even if I must break you to do it."

Kai felt the fire in him waning and heard no more as he dropped into unconsciousness.

****end flashback***

_No! Kisama!!! I won't let you get away with this grandfather, I will reclaim Dranzer!!_

Kai tried to reach out past the ice, tried to find Dranzer through the bond they shared. _Must be too distant, I can't sense him. Dranzer, where are you? I need your strength. You're the only reason I survived the abbey and my grandfather, you found me and set me free._

Kai felt the cold invading his body. His tremors increased, aggravating his broken ribs and other injuries. _I don't understand, I thought you had destroyed all the ice in me. I didn't think that it could still be hidden inside. I guess that it was too much, even for you Dranzer. The ice was embedded in my heart so long ago._

***flashback***

Wide blue-green eyes peeked out from behind a long, wine-colored skirt, quickly followed by a beautiful, shy smile. The boy's small hand grasped a silver locket that was hanging from a thin sterling-silver chain. The innocent smile was directed at the tall, beautiful woman standing in front of him. Nadya's musical laughter filled the room as she moved the small child out from behind her. 

"Now, now, Kai. You know better than that. You need to give your mother a proper greeting."

"Hajimemashite, Haha-ue," the small boy bowed politely, just as he had practiced. 

The elegant woman slowly approached the smiling child, her long, cobalt-blue hair swaying gently behind her. Her soft, blue eyes changed to a hard silver as she stopped in front of the boy. Reaching out, she gently opened the locket he wore and saw her own face staring back at her. 

"I see you are wearing my gift."

"My Lady Marya, he has never taken it off," Nadya spoke softly. "I told him of your desire that he always wear it and think of you, and so he has."

"So I see. You have taught him a lot, maybe too much." 

With a sharp snap she closed the locket, gripping it tightly in her fist. Twisting her wrist, she caused the wire-like chain to suddenly tighten around the boy's neck. She lifted the boy off his feet, bringing his face close to hers. His dark eyes were wide with terror and his small body trembled as he felt something warm dripping down his neck. The silver chain was cutting into his soft skin, the deep red blood welling up from beneath the wire.

"I do not ever want to hear you speak in that language again. Not to me, not to anyone. If I find out that you have, you will be punished."

Seeing this cruelty before her, Nadya tried vainly to force her to release Kai. With her free hand, Marya backhanded Nadya to the floor.

"As for you, if you speak to him again in Japanese or encourage him in speaking it, I will see to it that you are…released from your services with us."

Carelessly, she released Kai, letting him fall to the floor. Tears welled up in his eyes as he lay sprawled on the ground in front of her. Nadya lay nearby, desiring to reach out to him, but terrified that it would only prompt further attack on the child.

"Do you understand?" she directed at Nadya. Seeing her fear, the woman took it as assent and turned to the weeping boy.

"And you, my son? You must be strong. I do not want to see your tears. Will you behave?"

The small boy stood, wiping the tears from his face. His tears stopped falling from his eyes, but he could not stop the tears of blood falling from the cuts on his neck. He felt the pain starting to fade as a strange numbness started growing within him. A shard of ice pierced his heart as he looked up into silver eyes.

"Yes, Mother."

****end flashback***

_That was the first time I can remember feeling fear. The abbey, Grandfather,…my Mother…I only remember fear and pain with them. If it hadn't been for…_

_I think I would have died there if it hadn't been for Grandfather's promise. It was my only hope, my only true chance at a little freedom._

***flashback***

Winter was gone, but the only sign of spring was the never-ending rain. Kai lay exhausted on his bed staring out the window at the heavy sheets of falling rain. The rain comforted him, it felt like the sky was crying for him since he was no longer able to. 

He had been at the abbey for over half a year now. Some might not consider that very long, but for a small child it felt like forever. Somehow, he felt a lot older too. He rarely saw his beloved Nadya anymore. Maybe only once or twice a week, and only if he did everything his Grandfather asked of him. When he did see her, he felt somehow lighter and happier. She would hug him and tell him bedtime stories just like she always had. 

When she came to see him, she would always ask how he was, if he was alright. Kai had always been perceptive and therefore, he always knew when she was unhappy. At first, he had told her the truth, but he could see her sadness when he talked about the tests and training that his grandfather was subjecting him to. It was then that Kai learned how to lie. He would block out all the bad stuff that happened to him and smile cheerfully for her sake. When she asked what he had been doing, he would always say he was playing games. He tried to reassure himself that it wasn't really lying. After all, he was beyblading and it was supposed to be a game, even if it wasn't to his grandfather.

Kai was so tired, all he wanted to do was fall asleep, but he couldn't. Today had been a day of tests. Grandfather's scientists had taken him to the underground lab for more of what they called 'studies.' Kai didn't know what they were studying, but he knew it meant needles and pain. This wasn't the first time, and Kai had learned earlier that fighting and crying would only earn him more punishment, so he had lain quietly on the exam table as the scientists stuck him with needles. Some would take blood, others would inject things into him. It all hurt, but Kai had remained silent until they told him they were done. When he had been released, he had come straight back to his room hoping he had been good enough to earn a visit from Nadya. No one was waiting for him when he arrived, so he had lain down to watch the rain.

As he heard his door open, he sat up hopefully, a smile starting to blossom on his face in anticipation. The smile died before it could bloom as he watched Voltaire stride in.

"Kai, I am proud of you. My researchers told me you behaved well today. I will make a deal with you. If you continue to train hard and do as I instruct, I promise that you may continue to spend your summers at the chateau."

"Really?" the boy's eyes lit up as a hopeful smile grew. "I can spend the summer there? Can Nadya come with me?"

Voltaire's mouth turned up in a semblance of a smile. "Of course. However, since I have too much work to accomplish here and your mother refuses to return to Japan, it will be just you and Nadya."

"I promise. I will train hard."

Voltaire's grin grew wider as he answered simply, "Then I promise as well."

****end flashback***

_That promise gave me everything. Hope, freedom, joy, Nadya,…Ran. _

_It was all I lived for, it was the only thing that kept the ice from consuming me._

-------------tbc

*peering out from under desk* Is it safe to come out now?

Sorry it's been a bit since the last update, there's a lot going on right now. I'm not sure how the next few weeks are going to be. I could end up with more or much less time for my writing. I'll do my best though not to take too long. I do promise, the story will continue ^_^

On a side note: This story will not have yaoi in it, but I've recently had a growing inspiration to write a shonen ai, yaoi story about Kai and Rei. I anticipate that it will have several chapters and will not have a happy ending. I have not tried yaoi before, the only thing I've done even close to it is the one-shot Naruto fic **With You** that had shadings of shonen ai. If this is something that reviewers ask for, I will let my imagination run with it and start giving the idea more concentration. Please let me know what you think.

Translation Tips:

Nadya – (Russian) means 'hope'

Akemi – (Japanese) means 'beautiful sunrise/dawn'

Kisama – (Japanese) expletive, equivalent to 'bastard'

Hajimemashite – (Japanese) literally means 'it's the first time', used as equivalent of 'nice to meet you'

Haha-ue – (Japanese) equivalent to Lady Mother/Mom; from haha – mom (Kaasan means 'mother', this is sorta like a child saying mama or mom) and –ue equivalent to 'Lady/Lord' (in Japanese there is almost always a title attached to a name, like –san = Mr/Mrs. or –chan that a child would say instead of –san.) 

Ran – (Japanese) depending on the Kanji, it can mean 'orchid' or 'riot, rebellion'

Special Thanks:

**Boys-On-Boysenberry:** Slow-poke (hmmm, probably not the best thing to say with someone with your name @_@) I'm glad you did find my story, I hope you continue to enjoy it.

**Frostt: **LOL You make me think of Kodomo no Omocha (Child's Toy). The main character's mama has a chipmunk living in her hair(very cute) come back any time for more acorns ^_~

**Dawn35: **I'm sorry, I haven't checked if you've updated or not, been way busy. Thanks for coming back for more. Catch ya next time.

**Kai baby-girl: **I think I've finally decided whose body was found, but I'm still open to ideas. As far as the Takao and the rest, I will bring them back in, but it'll be after a couple more chapters. I have a little more history to get through first.

**Othela: ***evil laughter* but suspense is my middle name!! Well, not really, but it sure is fun anyways ^_^ I promise everything will be made clear eventually.

**Cherrii: ***sprays evilly cackling Ra down with fire extinguisher* Take that you evil arsonist!!! Am I mean or what, I just realized what I've put poor Kai through. First I burn him alive (supposedly) and now I'm letting the poor guy freeze to death in a cell. O_O I guess I really am evil. *hides ashamedly under desk again* I think I'll give him more light in the next chapter

**SquirrelOfShadows: **Any relation to the girl with the chipmunk in her head? LOL. Thanks for reviewing, hope you enjoyed!

**Summing up the Stars: **Yep, he's alive and unwell. Poor guy just can't seem to catch a break. Maybe next chapter(but most likely not ^_~)

**Identity Thief: **LOL Glad you gave D_B-S a smack, their music is definitely awesome. There is some really great tortured soul type music out there these days. And of course, it works great with tortured anime characters like Kai *_*

**Kai the ruthless beyblader:** *laughs* that's okay, if you freeze me, I'm sure I can get a blow-torch wielding fangirl to thaw me out ^_^ Hope you enjoyed! 

**Hiakri: **I agree, Kai and Rei are great characters. Hmm, just thought of something. If Hikari means 'light' and one definition of Rei is 'zero', does that mean you have 'no light'? *laughs* No, I'm sure it's more Spiritual Light (Rei= 'spirit') Anyways, thanks for the review!

**aZneLeMeNtTiGeR: **Sorry, no yaoi in this story. You're only going to get it if you bring it in with your own interpretation. Hope you are liking it otherwise ^_^

*yawns* oh my, I just realized it's 5am. I really wanted to get this story done Saturday. I've been feeling guilty that I haven't had time to work on it. Please excuse any mistakes in this chappie, I'm too tired to proof read again before I post.

'night *yaaaaawwwnnn*  ZZzzzzzzz…..

Next chapter will be **Hold The Hand of Your Best Friend**


	9. Hold the Hand of Your Best Friend

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the cute bey boys, but I do own my own creations and torture. I guess that's the good and bad all wrapped up together.

Warning: Chibi Kai with ensuing torment (delicately done, I hope)

Author's Note: Thanks everyone for the reviews, they helped brighten my day. They also reminded me that writing would be a great distracter right now ^_^ So I dedicate this chappie to all those who bring me sunshine. 

Translation tips and special thanks to follow, but I have to emphasize something real quick. The Japanese name Ran is pronounced with a long aa, like 'rahn' (think raw + n), it is not pronounced like 'I ran home.' Sorry, that's a pet peeve of mine, I hate when English dubs flub Japanese names *cough* Green Legend Ran*cough*

So without further ado…

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter IX: Hold the Hand of Your Best Friend**

The warmth of the bright sky could be felt easily through the plane's window. Rei sat lost in thought, staring out at the clouds passing by below him. A week had passed since the night Kai had been ripped away from them and the effect that it had had on the 'Breakers couldn't be ignored. At first Rei hadn't really noticed, he had been lost in his own grief. But as the changes became more pronounced, they were impossible to miss. 

In the seat in front of him sat Takao. The usually loud, hyperactive boy was tinkering away at his blade again. Ever since Kai had died, he had gotten more focused on his training. Takao was now the first one to wake up and the others usually found him outside training by the time they got up. He still joked with his team mates and bragged to the world about his skill, but he had gotten much more serious about blading and had seemed to devote more energy and concentration to it.

Next to Takao sat the Chief, typing away on Dizzi. Kenny was normally a quiet kid, but recently he had become almost mute. He spent less time with Takao and more time by himself, his only companion was Dizzi. It wasn't strange that he spent so much time with Dizzi, but what Rei did find strange was the fact the he had stopped telling them what he was working on. Kenny had always been proud of the work he would accomplish with his computer, and had enjoyed telling his team mates about his new discoveries. His skills had always helped them with beyblading and with anything else they needed. Rei wondered about what he was working on now, what it was that he couldn't tell the rest of his team about.

Rei pulled Kai's blade from his pocket. He had kept it with him ever since Mr. Dickenson had shown it to them. Most of the blade was twisted and blackened from the fire, but Dranzer's bit was still bright. He hoped that this meant that Dranzer was still there, he wanted to believe that something of Kai had remained. But no matter how he tried, he couldn't seem to feel any spark from the bit. His fist closed over the blade. Rei closed his eyes and bowed his head, concentrating on finding some spark of life in the blade. His eyes burned with unshed tears when he felt nothing but the cold metal in his hand. A warm hand closed over his and Rei opened his eyes to see bright blue ones looking at him in concern.

"Rei, are you alright?"

Rei nodded and watched a smile appear on his friend's face. It was so different from the smiles that used to come so readily. Max never smiled like he used to. Before Kai's death, it was very rare to see Max without a smile on his face. Now, however, when he smiled, it was usually for his friends' sakes, not because he was happy. His smiles always seemed to hold a touch of sadness to them. It made Rei sad to see his friends hurting so much.

"About as good as can be expected," Rei replied with his own weary smile.

_I don't think any of us realized what effect Kai had on the team. He always pushed us to work hard and become the best. He guided us and stepped in only when we couldn't win on our own. Although he was usually silent and remained in the background, he always stepped forward to give us support, pointers, strength, anything we needed. Somehow he always managed to protect us. Maybe we are changing so much because we are just now realizing what we are missing. We each have had to step up and take on the roles that he had protected us from. Takao is becoming the leader, pushing us to train and improve. Maybe Kenny is trying to pick up the knowledge that Kai seemed to instinctively possess. Max has turned his focus to the team, trying to watch everyone and give them the support they need._

He looked back out the window to see the clouds parting, below him he could see the plane was finally traveling back over land. _Finally, we are back in __Japan__._

Rei was so lost in thought that, at first, he didn't notice the growing warmth in his hand. The heat increased until it felt like he was holding a hot coal. Surprised, Rei let out a yelp and almost dropped the blade. Opening his fist, he saw a brief flash from the bit before the heat seemed to vanish, leaving behind only the memory of its warmth.

--------elsewhere---------

Dark, crimson eyes opened, as the cold seemed to recede. It had seemed like forever since he had fallen to the ice and memories. Now, suddenly, Kai could feel the fire deep within. It was very small and faint, but it was there nonetheless. A faint smile appeared as he felt his bond with Dranzer reappear. The bond was very tenuous, as frail as a thread, but it was there. Kai let himself relax, concentrating only on his bond with Dranzer. His tremors stopped as he fell into a trance, pulling the heat into his body.

***flashback***

A dark car drove up to the chateau, stopping in the drive at the front door. Gracefully, an elegant, raven haired woman stepped from the car, watching attentively as a tall blonde man exited from the other side. Reaching back into the car, the man picked up the small form of a sleeping child and led the way into the house. The woman followed quickly, determined not to lose sight of her small charge.

"Gavriil, his room is upstairs, the second door on the right."

"Yes, Miss Nadya."

Following the man upstairs, Nadya watched as he gently laid the boy down on his bed. The beautiful blonde man smiled up at her from over the sleeping child. For a moment it seemed like a painting, a tall, blonde angel smiling softly down on the sleeping form a small, dark angel. _But I know he is definitely no angel._

"Thank you, Gavriil. Your room is on the third floor, the second door to the left."

"Of course, Miss Nadya. I will bring up your and the child's things first and then retire to my room. Please call if you need anything."

Nadya nodded politely and watched the man leave the room. When his footsteps had receded down the steps, she let out a sigh of relief and moved quickly to the bed. With a gentle hand she brushed the dark blue hair back from the boy's face. He slept deeply and did not move under her touch. 

"My Akemi, I want you back. Just the way you were. I know you have been hiding something from me, I can sense the sadness and the pain. I want to see you smile again, a real smile, not one of those masks you put on for me."

She stayed beside him as Gavriil brought in their luggage and only left after she was sure that Gavriil had retired to his room for the night. She was determined to help Kai banish all the darkness that had hurt him at the abbey.

------the next day-------

Nadya watched with a happy smile as the laughing boy disappeared into the woods behind the house. She had been so relieved when he had come down to breakfast that morning. He had been wearing the first genuine smile she had seen in months. Now, he was off to play. She wasn't worried at all for she knew where he was going and knew he'd be safe.

Neither she nor the child saw the dark eyes watching from the third story window. They also didn't notice when, a short time after the window shade fell, a lithe figure moved swiftly into the woods near where the boy had entered

Kai ran easily through the short stretch of trees until he came to a calm meadow. It was the ideal place for playing. There was a rope swing hanging from one of the larger trees. The largest tree was ideal for climbing. A small bey dish was located in the center of the meadow. Kai looked around at the place that he had dreamt of so often at the abbey. It was exactly as he remembered, except for one detail. _I thought he'd be here._

The summer before he traveled to the abbey, he and Nadya had come to live in the chateau. He had been out exploring one day, with the typical 'Don't go too far' from Nadya, when he found this meadow. He had also found his first real friend. When he had entered the meadow, he had heard a clear voice call out to him from the largest tree. Looking up he had seen a dark haired boy with bright red eyes looking down at him.  

The boy had told him that his name was Ran and that the meadow was right on the border of his family's land and the grounds around the chateau. He had whispered conspiratorially to Kai that he wasn't supposed to go anywhere near the chateau, that his papa had forbidden it. Of course, it was most likely because it was forbidden that Ran kept coming back to the meadow to play.

The two boys had become fast friends and from dawn to dusk they could be found playing in their meadow. Ran had been the one to introduce Kai to beyblading. As a worldly 6 year old, he had felt it was his duty to teach the little 5 year old the sport. Kai had caught on quickly using his friend's spare blade.  

Reaching into his pocket he brought out the blue blade his friend had given him. He had used it for his grandfather many times when asked and although he hated everything his grandfather had made him do, he had kept the blade in hopes of seeing his friend again.

"Kai!! I thought I saw a car come to the house last night. I knew it was you."

Kai jumped, startled when he heard the voice coming from the tree above him. The voice spoke Japanese and he hesitated in answering. He had not spoken Japanese in months, ever since it had been forbidden to him. Looking up, he saw the same crimson eyes staring down at him.

"Ran," Kai smiled happily and let the weight of past threats fall away. He responded to his friend in Japanese, "I should have known you'd be up a tree."

Light laughter echoed his as his friend leapt down beside him. It was as if no time had passed between the two. They spent the day in play; climbing trees, battling imaginary foes side by side, and beyblading with each other. When the sun set they both returned home, promising that they would meet again the next morning. However, when Kai returned to the chateau, he learned that he had been found out.

Ran arrived early the next day and anxiously awaited his friend, but Kai never showed up. Two more days passed without any sign of his friend before Ran worked up the courage to completely defy his father's orders. Late in the afternoon of the second day, he made his way cautiously toward his friend's home. He had just reached the edge of the woods closest to the chateau when he saw his young friend racing across the yard towards him. Without saying a word, Kai grabbed his hand and they ran together towards their meadow. 

"Kai, why didn't you come?" Ran was mad at him for breaking his promise. "I waited and waited, but you never came. Why?"

Kai remained silent and looked away from his friend. This only made Ran angrier.

"I thought we were friends. Why are you ignoring me?"

Kai's dark eyes met Ran's bright eyes and he made his decision. Ran's friendship meant everything to him and he was determined not to lose it.

"Ran, gomenasai," Kai knew an explanation was the only way. "My family has forbidden me from speaking Japanese. Someone followed me yesterday and heard me, so I was punished. If they hear me, I'll be punished again. I don't want to lose your friendship, but I just can't speak Japanese."

Seeing the confusion in his friend's eyes, Kai turned and ran back home. 

"Gomenasai!!"

As he ran, he heard his friend's voice call out to him, "Kai, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow. You better come!"

Arriving back home, Kai immediately searched for Nadya. He needed to let her know what had happened, that he had spoken Japanese again. When he had returned home that first night, he had learned why Gavriil had come to the chateau with them. His mother had sent him to keep an eye on Kai. Nadya had tried to stop Gavriil from punishing him, but Gavriil had beaten her and locked her in her room. Kai wanted to make sure that if he was found out again, that she was prepared and wouldn't get hurt.

He searched the entire house, but couldn't find her. When he finally returned to his room, he found Gavriil waiting for him.

"You don't have to worry about her, I sent her out to run some errands. She won't be back until we're done."

Kai backed away, searching for a way out as the tall blonde approached him.

"Now, Kai, you know better than that," the menacing voice continued. "Your mother instructed you to forget that foul language. I would think that you would have learned your lesson well enough last time. I guess it's time for a new one."

Gavriil picked the struggling boy up under his arm and strode off towards the basement steps. Using a special key, he unlocked the door and walked down into a maze of dark hallways. The small child kicked uselessly against him as they entered the darkness below.

"You need to pay better attention to your lessons."

-----------------

Cool, gentle hands soothed Kai's nightmares. He woke when he heard the soft sobs coming from beside him. Looking up from his bed, he saw Nadya's reddened eyes watching him. She attempted to smile when she saw he was awake, but she couldn't erase the evidence of her tears.

"I'm alright," Kai lied. "Are you okay? I spoke it again. I'm sorry."

"Shh. I'm fine, you shouldn't worry about me. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from him. I would do anything to keep you from getting hurt."

Kai sat up and reached out with his small hand to wipe away her tears. Nadya gently enfolded him in her arms, pulling him up onto her lap, taking care not to accidentally touch his back. Kai wrapped his arms around her waist and for that moment allowed himself to show his age. He cried in her lap like the six year old that he was at the unfairness of it all.

They sat that way for a long time, until Kai saw the long shadows stretching across the room, showing the lateness of the day. He scrubbed at his tear-stained cheeks and pushed back from Nadya.

"What time is it?"

"It's about 5 pm," Nadya replied, wiping her own tears away. "You've been asleep and fevered since last night."

The little boy leapt off her lap and ran to his dresser. His voice was muffled as he quickly pulled on a long sleeve shirt, hiding his bandaged back.

"I have to go, Ran's waiting for me."

"Be careful," Nadya yelled after him as he ran out of the room and down the steps.

Kai raced from the house and into the woods as the sun moved closer to the western horizon. _Please be there, Ran_

Arriving at their clearing he paused, out of breath from his run. He frantically looked around for his friend, knowing that he was way too late. His eyes instinctively sought his friend in the branches of the tree

"Hi, Kai," his friend looked down at him from the lowest branch of the tree. "I was sure you'd come, but did you have to come so late."

Kai looked away, ashamed that his friend had waited all day for him. Except for Nadya, no one had shown him that much trust and friendship. He wanted to tell Ran he was sorry, but he did not want to risk punishment again.

Ran's soft laughter broke him from his dark thoughts. He looked up to see his friend smiling down at him.

"It's okay that your late, just don't be late again."

Kai nodded silently at this. Ran's bright eyes darkened in concern at his friend's silence. He reached down from the branch he was sitting on and offered Kai his hand.

"Don't worry, Kai. You don't have to talk, we'll just concentrate on having fun. Right?"

Kai's eyes brightened a little and he smiled up at Ran, relieved that his friend had understood. He reached up to accept his friend's help in climbing the tree. As he grasped Ran's hand, his sleeve fell back to reveal his wrist. Ran let go of Kai's hand like it burned and stared in shock at the raw looking rope burns on the boy's wrist. Ran's eyes seemed to burn into Kai, and the younger boy backed away fearfully from the anger he saw in them.

Ran leapt from the low branch and grabbed Kai as the boy started to turn away. Kai couldn't stop the small whimper that escaped as he felt the pressure on his shoulder and back. Hearing this, Ran let go, but moved swiftly to stand in front of him. Kai was a year younger and not as strong as Ran, so he was unable to pull away as Ran grabbed his arms and pushed back his sleeves to reveal the raw wounds on both wrists.

Kai looked down, he felt too ashamed to say anything to Ran. He knew that he had been bad and was punished for it, but he didn't want Ran to see that.

"Kai, look at me."

Ran kept hold of Kai's hands, refusing to let his friend run away. Although Ran was a good kid, he had done his share of misbehaving in his seven years. His father had disciplined him swiftly when it was deserved, so he had received his share of spankings as well. And yes, when his father spanked him it hurt, but it hurt more because his father did it than because of any actual pain. Young as he was, Ran knew that no kid deserved to be disciplined like Kai had been.

"Kai, just listen to me, okay. You don't have to say anything," Ran continued as Kai's dark, almost black eyes looked into his own crimson eyes. "I don't care what you did, nobody deserves to be hurt like this. This happened because you spoke Japanese to me?"

At Kai's nod of consent, Ran continued, "Okay, no problem. No more Japanese. I guess you'll just have to teach me how to speak Russian."

Ran let go of Kai's hands and extended his right hand to Kai. 

"Best friends."

Kai smiled shyly and grasped his friend's hand. 

"Da."

Ran laughed and repeated Kai's answer, "Da. Yes, right? One down, about a million to go."

Ran switched his grip and Kai found his hand linked in the solemn oath of a pinky promise.

"Kai, I promise, I'll always be there for you. No matter what."

Kai solemnly repeated the promise in Russian, adding a silent vow of his own.

_And I promise I'll do everything I can to protect you._

----------tbc

*smiles sheepishly*

I know that I'm focusing a lot on the past, but the past is what shapes us. We all bear scars on our bodies and souls that effect our present and guide our future. Kai is obviously someone who has endured much and in order to show what happens next, I feel like I need to go into what happened before. Stick with me, the past will catch up to the future soon.

Translation Tips:

Gavriil – (Russian) derived from 'Gabriel,' Gabriel was an angel of God, His strength brought to earth

Gomenasai – (Japanese) polite way of saying 'I'm sorry'

Da – (Russian) means 'yes'

Special Thanks to:

**SquirrelOfShadows:** I think you gave me the best compliment I've had. It's very hard to write something that conveys sorrow without being so heavy handed as to be pitiful. I want to show the cruelty that Kai endured and let my readers appreciate the pain that a child was put through. Thank you for letting me know that I touched you (in an emotional way ^_~)

**Kai baby-girl:** Thanks for the compliment on names, I try ^_^ As for the corpse, he will be named in a later chapter. I'm glad you liked the interaction between the two bladers, Kai really seems adept at rubbing people the wrong way, doesn't he. I bet he practices his smirks in front of a mirror. ^_~

**Frostt:** *laughs and sprinkles acorns* Hmmm, maybe if I stopped feeding them, they'd go away. Oh well, they're just so cute! ^_^ But please, no squirrel fur coat. Don't worry, I take Kai home and keep him warm every night *_*

**Cherrii:** *giggles* guess you're done with the flames ^_^ Now, I'll let you huggle chibi Kai, but you gotta quit smothering him. *picks up little Kai and huggles him gently* See like this, now you try…

**Jae:** *smiles* glad to see you back. Of course, you know that I couldn't kill Kai, I just love him too much. Torture him and torment his grief stricken friends, yes, but kill him? Naw!! Glad you enjoyed the glimpses of his past, I'm going to delve a bit deeper, because he's such a deep character. Stick around for the ride.

**Lyn/Lin:** OMG, I think I'm in love!!! *laughs* well, not really, but I luv ya for not only finding my story, but reading and reviewing each chappie. *sniffs* I'm so touched that you put me on fav author list!!! *laughs* I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't keep you up all night, I'm quite proud of my cliffies ^_~  Please keep coming back for more!

**Becky:** I'm glad you stumbled on my story, too. Thanks for the reviews, I'm happy that you liked the fluff I put in the beginning of my chappies. This fic is so dark, and I wanted to give a little light before the torment. And don't worry, you won't find any yaoi in this story. Love and friendship are just as important as love and lovers. *climbs up to join Becky on higher moral ground, looks down to see everyone else about a foot down* Yep, you're right, can't find much higher ground when I enjoy tormenting Kai. *laughs* Thanks for the great encouragement, as you can see, it inspired me to post as quickly as I could (A day spent in peaceful creating, couldn't ask for more) Thanks!!

**Kai the ruthless blader:** Tadda! Kai's Best Friend!!! You like him? I think he's very cute, a good big bro-best friend type. *laughs* There's more to Ran than meets the eye. I hope you enjoy finding out more about him and what exactly he means to Kai.

Well, I got one 'no' and no 'yes's to my possible shonen ai story about Kai and Rei. So that means that **Beautiful Goodbye will go on the back burner for now. Maybe when I finish this one, I will try my hand at it. We'll see.**

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to leave a little light on your way out. Bring the Sun!!!

Next chapter will be **Look into their Eyes**


	10. Look into their Eyes

Disclaimer: Can any of us really claim to own anything? I mean what kind of materialistic society do we live in today? I refuse to claim ownership for anything ***hehehe, that means…I refuse to take responsibility for anything *_* Sneaky, huh?***

Warning: Watch out for saccharine ahead. Some say blood and guts, I say blood and sugar.

Author's note: Yep, it's me again, escaping from reality. I know you can't recognize me because I'm hiding under a desk with a maniac chipmunk dancing on my head (I think his name is 'Chippie.' *laughs* Just kidding, I'm not under a desk. Here chippie have an acorn. *sighs* This is not the kinda of chippie I imagined would be over at my house.

Well, once again you are about to be treated to Kai's past. I'm tossing in all sorts of clues of what's coming, so keep you're eyes open. This will touch on important things that happened over three years. I'm trying to get to the present but there is so much past. *laughs*

I don't think I have any translation tips for this one, so instead I'm going to be really nice and answer one question I got from a reviewer *waves "Hi Lyn"* Of course, the answer is at the end of the chapter *MWAHAHAHAH*

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter X: Look into their Eyes**

The chains holding the boy's body to the wall were unlocked, allowing the limp body to complete its collapse to the floor. Voltaire stood in the doorway watching as Hedeon picked up the thin body of his grandson. Motioning for Hedeon to follow him, he led the way through the dark corridors. Without warning, a turn in the path led them into a brightly lit, starkly empty hall. Branching off from this new hall were a multitude of rooms, all antiseptically clean and bustling with people and equipment. 

Voltaire stopped at a sealed door labeled 101. Typing a complex series of numbers into a keypad, he opened the door and gestured for Hedeon to precede him inside. A group of men in white coats gathered around the table that the scarred man laid the limp body on. Even though the boy was obviously unconscious and was visible starved and wounded, the men wasted no time in securing him with restraints. Once the ankle, wrist and neck restraints were applied the men stepped back waiting for commands from Voltaire.

The large man approached and stood glaring down at Kai's still form. _Damn you, I was so close. I don't know where you got that strength from._

From the monitor in his secret room, he had seen the trembling form of his grandson slowly fight back against the cold. He had only been able to watch as the tremors stopped and the boy's red core deepened. He had been waiting for the last few days for the cold to break Kai, knowing that it would provide him the perfect opportunity to reclaim him. Somehow, Kai had disrupted that plan. Voltaire knew that the new strength would allow Kai to continue with his defiance, even to the point of death. _I won't allow you that escape. You are mine. I will only allow your death when it serves me best._

"What are you waiting for? Idiots, he's of no use to me dead."

Voltaire turned and left the room without another word. Hedeon remained behind, his dark eyes watching as the scientists swarmed around the boy's body. With practiced ease, an IV was placed in each arm, a light yellow fluid dripped slowly into his left arm while a clear fluid flowed into his right. His torn and bloody shirt was cut off so small pads could be placed on his chest. A soft, rhythmic beep could be heard filling the silence of the room. A small mask was placed on Kai's face, covering his nose and mouth. A faint sheen of fog could be seen with each ragged breath he took. Using a large needle, one of the scientists was extracting dark blood from the vein running down Kai's neck while another was piercing his wrist to draw out bright red blood.

Despite the voices of the men around him and the repeated invasion of needles, the boy lay still. Bored, Hedeon left the room. He only hoped that the current activity would allow the boy to wake up enough for a little fun.

Kai was aware of the activity around him, but was too deeply entranced to react to it. He focused only on Dranzer and the bond they shared, shutting out the rest of the world and the pain it held.

***flashback***

The golden summer passed quickly for Kai. Everyday was spent with Ran, playing in the clearing or having adventures in the woods and each evening he would return home to Nadya. Dinners were usually quiet. The blonde devil would join them for dinner, but Kai didn't let this stop him from enjoying his time with Nadya. After dinner they would play a quiet game by the fireplace and then she would carry him upstairs to bed. Kai didn't know which he liked more, her bedtime stories or the songs she would play for him. 

Those last evening hours were Nadya's favorite time of the day as well. She, too, didn't know which she loved more, hearing Kai's sweet voice singing as she played her guitar or the soft question he always asked before drifting off to sleep.

"Nadya, why do you call me Akemi?"

She would always laugh softly at this, for no matter how many times she answered him, he would always ask again. It had become their ritual. 

Gazing deep into his gem-like blue-green eyes, she replied, "Because you are my beautiful sunrise. Every time I see you, you bring me the hope of a new day."

Kai would giggle sleepily at this, he always found it a silly answer. But he was always comforted by this and would drift off into a quiet slumber.

Before he knew it, the summer came to an end and he found himself packed and bundled back into the car. He watched forlornly as the car drove away from the chateau. He briefly saw crimson eyes peering out at him from the branches of a tree they passed. He waved frantically, giving a silent promise to his friend that he would return the next summer.

Kai found that the abbey had changed since he had left. Upon returning, he found that his routine had changed as well. His grandfather had not known much about beyblading the previous year and had always been ordering Kai to demonstrate with his beyblade. It seemed Voltaire had done a lot of research while Kai was away. Instead of demonstrations, Kai's grandfather now had him doing drills. Unfortunately, the endless training did not stop the scientists from continuing with their studies. In fact, the experiments got more focused. They started combining the drugs and blood draws with his beyblade training. 

Again, Nadya seemed to be pulled from him, only being allowed to see him a few times a month. Adversely, he found his mother's visits were increasing. His mother now had made it customary to visit him once a month. He always feared her visits, he never knew if she would just sit and speak quietly with him, or if she would suddenly become enraged with him and use the locket tethered around his neck to choke him. He had tried many times to remove the locket, but the chain had no clasp. He had worn it since he was tiny and he had grown enough that he couldn't remove it from over his head. Some of the scars that decorated his throat were from his own attempts to remove the chain.

Through it all he endured, focusing only on the summer to come. Finally, he was rewarded. He found himself and Nadya headed back to Japan with Hedeon as their only shadow.

----------------

Walking timidly into the clearing, the small seven year old looked hopefully around for his friend. He wasn't disappointed. A slightly taller boy with crimson eyes strode into the clearing from the other side, a large grin on his face.

"Guess what, Kai," the boy said in Russian. "I've been practicing."

Kai's mouth dropped open in surprise at his friend, too shocked to even speak.

Peals of laughter greeted this, "I convinced Mama that I needed a tutor Then, I convinced the tutor that I needed to know Russian. So viola, Russian."

Kai's laughter joined his and the boys immediately resumed where they had left off.

"Kai, I want to show you something," Ran said enthusiastically, pulling out a shiny beyblade from his pocket. "Let's battle."

Kai was reluctant to beyblade. He had forgotten the joy it could hold, but he didn't want to disappoint his friend. He pulled out his small blue blade and they both launched into the beydish located in the middle of the clearing.

As the blades circled and fought, Ran smiled at his friend.

"Hey, you've really gotten better. But then again, so have I. And you haven't even seen my secret weapon yet."

A strong wind kicked up around the beydish and Kai could see a bright light shining from the bit on the top of the blade. Suddenly a large animal rose from the blade. It looked like a bird, but it was much too large for that and its tail feathers were too long. Kai stared in awe at the pale golden beast. It seemed to be surrounded by a soft fire and moved with a stately grace. Before he could react, he found his blade flying from the dish to land on the ground beside him.

"Wow, what was that?"

"That is Zephyr," Ran replied, staring proudly up at his beast. "He's a phoenix. The phoenix is supposed to be immortal, that means he can't die. And it must be true because he's been in my family for as long as anyone can remember. He's sort of like a spirit animal that has guided and protected our clan. Papa said he is my guardian now."

Kai was bewitched by the majestic beauty and ancient wisdom he felt from the phoenix. As often as Ran challenged him to battle, he was ready. Even if he lost to his friend, he would at least be able to see the phoenix's grace as it repeatedly tossed his blade from the dish.

That evening as he was tucked in for bed he asked Nadya about the phoenix.

"Hmm, so you want to know about the mythical phoenix, do you? Well, let's see. The phoenix is believed to be a symbol of loyalty and honesty. Its voice is supposed to be so beautiful that even the sun stops its travel across the sky to listen when the phoenix sings. According to legend, there is only one phoenix in the world."

"Do you think he's lonely?" the small boy asked in a sad voice.

"I suppose he could be," she replied honestly. "But just because he is the only phoenix, doesn't mean he can't make other friends."

The boy smiled at this and asked, "Is it true that the phoenix lives forever?"

"Akemi, my but you do ask difficult questions," she said laughing. "The phoenix lives a very long time, some say a thousand years, but he doesn't live forever. You see, he dies, consumed in his own fire, and a new phoenix is born. The new phoenix is a blend of the old phoenix and new possibilities. This is probably why the phoenix is so wise, its knowledge only grows with time."

"But why would they say it's immortal if it dies?"

"Dearheart, everything dies. But the phoenix experiences life and death endlessly, and that is as much like immortality as anything could be."

The gem-like eyes darkened at this. The small boy had preferred the idea that the phoenix would never die. Yawning sleepily, he asked one last question.

"Nadya, why do you call me Akemi?"

-------------------------

The summer passed swiftly and upon his return to the abbey, more changes greeted him. A new trainer had appeared, a large man that Kai could only describe as evil. The man was named Boris and he seemed to take a certain joy at finding fault in everything Kai did. Kai's training sessions began to last longer, and punishment for poor performances became a certainty.

 He also found he was not alone anymore in his training sessions. His grandfather had recruited many other children to come and train at the abbey. At first, Kai was happy to find this. He believed that he could make allies and friends of the other boys. However, he was quickly dissuaded from that idea. The other boys endured the same rigorous training schedule as him, with one key difference. They did not have to endure the experiments that he did. And because they did not know why he would repeatedly miss hard training sessions, they resented him, thinking that he was excused from them because he was Voltaire's grandson. They took to bullying him to make up for what they considered was unfair treatment.

Returning to his room after one such attack, Kai found his mother waiting for him. Her hard silver eyes watched as he bowed politely to her and took the chair across the table from her. Without taking her eyes from his bruised and bloody face she rose and crossed over to him. Kai suppressed the flinch that he knew would only anger her and sat quietly as she reached down and caressed his face. As his wide eyes looked up into hers, he was surprised to see soft blue-green eyes looking down at him, the usually impassive silver eyes mirroring his own. Her eyes seemed to be the one thing that Kai had inherited, hazel eyes that seemed to change with one's mood.

"Gavriil, I have need of you."

At her request, the tall blonde seemed to materialize at her side with a deep bow.

"It seems my son does not know how to defend himself. I want you to teach him."

"Yes, my Lady Marya," Gavriil replied with another deep bow. Turning to Kai, he continued "You will wait for me each day after training. I will meet you in the main training hall."

Marya rose at this, her eyes changing back to flint. As she left the room she gave one last instruction to her blonde shadow.

"Try not to hurt him too much."

From that day on, he had one more thing to endure. Gavriil seemed to pay no mind to his mistress's final instruction. He seemed to derive pleasure from beating the boy each evening. But Kai endured. In fact he learned, despite his teacher's cruel methods. But each time he started to feel he could defend and attack against Gavriil, the man would change his style, forcing him to endure more pain before he could adapt. 

-----------------

Summer finally came, but Kai didn't feel the joy he normally did. He was anxious about spending the summer with Nadya and Ran. He knew that he had changed a lot in the past few years, maybe he had changed too much. He was worried that seeing his friend would destroy the illusion of friendship that he felt he could still claim.

The first morning at the chateau, Nadya had to practically toss the silent boy out of the house. She was concerned for him, she rarely heard him laugh, and he had stopped singing for her in the evenings. She only hoped that seeing his old friend would help bring him back to her.

When he entered the meadow, he found Ran already there practicing with Zephyr in the beydish. Ran looked up with a large grin at the sound of Kai coming through the trees. His smile quickly faded as he caught sight of his friend's eyes. His own family seemed bland to him, everyone had black hair and various shades of crimson eyes. Because of this he had always been fascinated with his friend's eyes, how they seemed to change color at times. In the years that he had known Kai, he had learned to read his eyes to gauge his feelings. 

The darker the eyes, the more intensely his friend's emotions were running. Green meant calm and peaceful, while blue meant mischievous. The gem-like blue-green that had always been the most prevalent was always seen when he was happy and playing or if he was concerned with another. But it was times like now that always worried Ran. Kai's eyes were dark, almost black. He had only ever seen this color when Kai was hurt or upset. It worried him that each time his friend returned, that darkness seemed to have a stronger hold.

"Wanna battle?" the dark haired boy scooped up his blade and approached his friend.

The eight year old stepped back and reached into his pocket to grip his blade. He didn't want to battle, all he had done since the last summer was beybattle. He knew he was good, after all defeat meant punishment, and he didn't want see what would happen if he defeated his friend. He looked up to Ran, he wasn't sure what could be worse, how Ran would feel when he defeated him or how he would feel seeing his best friend/big brother defeated. He depended on Ran's strength and didn't want to see anything that would show he could be weak.

"No," he shook his head at Ran's invitation. "I don't want to battle now."

Ran had seen his subtle retreat and looked his friend over carefully. He saw more delicate white scars peeking out from Kai's open collar. His eyes narrowed as he took note of the long sleeve shirt and pants that the boy was wearing for the warm summer day.

"Alright," Ran said slowly. "Wanna climb?"

At Kai's nod, the two boys moved to the largest tree and soon were high up in its concealing branches. Over the next week and a half, the two boys could be found at anytime in that tree. They only came down for snacks and when the sun set. Slowly, Kai opened up to his friend, telling him some of what happened while he was at the abbey. Kai knew there was nothing his friend could do, so he only told Ran about the training Boris put him through and about Gavriil's lessons. He didn't mention the experiments or punishments, nor did he mention his mother's treatment of him. He felt too much shame for the things that he considered to be his fault. Ran didn't push, but would listen quietly to anything that Kai said. Ran took his friendship and adoptive older brother roles very seriously.

It was almost three weeks into the summer before Kai's eyes lost their darkness, and another full week before he gave his first genuine smile. The boys began to spend more time playing and less in serious conversation. Kai even rediscovered his joy in beyblading before the summer ended.

The last day of the summer found the two boys again high in the concealing branches of the largest tree.

"Ran, I'm scared," Kai looked away from his friend feeling weak and foolish.

"Me, too," replied Ran seriously. He didn't like seeing his friend return each summer seemingly lost deeper each time in darkness. "You could stay with me, you and Nadya. I'm sure my papa wouldn't mind."

Kai looked up momentarily, his eyes bright with hope, before a crestfallen look came on him. "No, that won't work. Grandfather would never allow it."

He couldn't help but think of the times Nadya had been punished for interfering with his Grandfather's plans and punishments. There was no way he would let Ran risk that.

"Just promise me that we'll always be friends, Ran"

"What kinda request is that?" Ran said with false indignanty. "Didn't we pinky promise on that already?" 

Ran held out his pinky to Kai, who only laughed at the child-like gesture. Linking pinkies, they both laughed.

"Kai, remember, I'm always here for you, I want you to come to me if you ever need help." Ran's face became serious again as he released Kai's hand. "I also want you to remember that you've never done anything to deserve punishment. They are the ones who are wrong, not you. Try not to let the darkness in."

Kai remained silent at this before replying, "I'll try."

Hearing Nadya calling for him to return home, Kai leapt down and with a sad wave turned and ran home. Ran watched him leave, fearful of what he would see the next time they met.

---------------tbc

Hope you like chibi Kai and Ran. Am I doing a good job of showing Kai's fall from grace? Just wondering.

*drumroll* Now for the reviewer question…

The answer is………. Yes

*laughs hysterically*

Just kidding. I get to pick the question, so as far as why Dranzer suddenly burned in Rei's hand…. Kai had been cut off from Dranzer and despite trying to reach him through their bond, he was too weak and the distance was too great. When the plane approached Japan, Dranzer and Kai both felt the fire flame bright within and reacted to the re-establishment of their bond. So, the meaning behind it is…..(can you guess where Kai is? ^_~)

Now, here's a question for you guys. Anyone out there able to tell me the meaning behind 'Room 101'? You only get one hint, if you don't know, ask your English teacher. (that was the hint *_~) It's from a really good book (obviously). Hence the English teacher

Huggles with chibi Kai for anyone who knows.

Special Thanks to:

**Frostt****: Yes, you all have Frostt to thank for Chippie. And I encourage everyone to check out our budding new authoress. Frostt has posted her first fic. It is a Kai torture, what else?, called ****Gone in a Flash. Please give her a little light, the first is the hardest.**

**Lyn/Lin: **Yea!! Many more reviews!!! I hope you didn't stay up waiting for this chapter, and you definitely shouldn't for the next. I'm glad you enjoy my chappies, I love knowing that I'm giving readers that 'argh!' feeling at the end of the chapter. It means I really had you 'in the moment.' Ran is definitely important to the story, and you will find out later what happened to him and all of Kai's family. So stick around. ^_^ Ohh, I don't hate Kai, I love him. Think of it this way, I'm not the one torturing him, his so-called family did that, I'm only trying to shine a little light so others can understand his tortured soul (^_~ what do you think? Good answer?)

**Elves of the Moon: **Wah!!! ;_; I want more!!! Thanks for the fantastic praise. Yes, I'm sure no Kai/Rei in this story. Perhaps if I ever get started on **Beautiful Goodbye**, you'll come back for more. Otherwise, hope you still enjoy this one.

**Rei-chan****:  I will say someone will die, probably several someones, but I will not say who. *MWAHahahaha* Stick around.**

**Summing up the Stars: **Thanks, I really appreciate that you like my style of writing. I have to do my best to give justice to my beautiful kai.

**Cosmos angel: **Don't worry, no yaoi here. Glad you are enjoying. See ya next chappie.

**Othela****: Yea! That's just the response I wanted. Hope you enjoyed this saccharine chapter as well.**

**Dragonblade****: Rei and the others take center stage in the next chappie. Hope you come back for it.**

I hope you enjoyed. I had some heavy chapters, so I'm doing some relatively light ones now. Don't worry, pain, anguish and sorrow will be coming up. Please be sure to let me know if I make you cry ^_~

Next chapter is **Drift Away.**


	11. Drift Away

Disclaimer: abandonment, abdication, abjuration, abnegation, abstention, cancellation, denial, disavowal, renunciation, eschewal, eschewing, forbearing, forswearing, giving up, rebuff, refusal, relinquishment, remission, renouncement, repeal, repudiation, resignation, sacrifice, self-abnegation, self-denial, self-sacrifice, spurning, surrender, veto, waiver, yielding

Don't you just love the thesaurus ^_^

 Warning: Talking and emotions, or at least my best attempt (you can call that fair warning, I guess)

Note: Sorry everyone, there will be no Kai in this chapter. I have chibi Kai at home with me, and I'm not going to let him go until he smiles for me. *_* Knowing our beautiful, stoic boy, he may never be seen again *laughs*

For those of you who have been asking about what's going on with Kai's team mates, here ya go.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XI: Drift Away**

Looking up into the pure blue sky, Rei lifted his hand to block the bright sunlight. The Chinese blader was sitting on the steps leading down to the sand, quietly surveying the beach. The day had barely begun so the steps were still cool beneath him, a pleasant contrast to the warmth radiating down from above. The soft crash of the surf filled his senses, its unwavering sound helped soothe him and strengthened his focus. His eyes turned away from the bright light, seeking to find answers in the darkened metal that lay in his palm.

_Come on, Dranzer. I know I felt you. Can't you give me another sign? Another spark? Something so that I know it wasn't my imagination. _

Rei was so sure that he had felt the blade grow suddenly hot near the end of the flight back to Japan. But in the four days since they had returned, there hadn't been any other sign of the phoenix. Rei had come to the deserted beach to try one last time to reach the bit beast, but as always, he had no luck.

Returning the blade to his pocket, Rei rose to his feet and turned back to the city. A quick check of his watch told him that it was almost 8 am. Rei began walking swiftly through the quiet streets, he didn't want to be late meeting his friends.

When he arrived at the dojo that his friend Takao called home, he could hear the sounds of a spinning blade. Once in the front court, he found Takao dressed and already hard at training. Takao's blade was dodging in and out through a maze of empty soda cans, his control so improved that the blade's passage didn't even create a disturbing wind. Where once this sight would have provoked shock and disbelief, Rei had gotten used to seeing Takao's newfound discipline. 

Rei smiled sadly when he thought of how Kai would react to seeing Takao like this. _He'd probably take him to the hospital to see what was wrong. _

Rei wasn't sure he really liked seeing Takao's new determination. Since arriving back in Japan, Takao had retreated more and more into himself. He had stopped calling Rei and the others, had even stopped hanging out with them. If the others invited him to join them, he would just tell them that he couldn't, that he needed to train to become stronger.

This hadn't helped his team mates any. Max had tried really hard to keep the team together. He would invite them to his father's shop, to the arcade, or even just to go hang out. But each time he did, he got rejected. Takao would say he had to train and Kenny would just be vague and decline. Rei hated to admit that he had let Max down as well. He had been so focused on Dranzer that he hadn't noticed Max had stopped calling until a day or so after the fact.

_How could someone who seemed so alone, so aloof, have been so key in keeping us together? Ever since Kai died, we've just been drifting away from each other. I lost Kai, I don't want to lose my other friends._

When Rei had finally realized how far apart they had drifted, he knew he had to do something. He was determined to bring his friends back together so he had called everyone and arranged for them to get together today at Takao's. Rei could be stubborn when he wanted and so he had not allowed any excuses from his friends. He had pestered them until finally they all relented and agreed to meet.

"Where are Kenny and Max?" Rei asked Takao, interrupting him before he could launch Dragoon again.

"Max isn't here yet, but Kenny's over there with Dizzi," Takao nodded toward the covered deck running along the outside of the dojo.

 Rei looked over to see Kenny sitting intently typing away on his laptop. Before he could ask Takao anything else, he heard light footsteps running towards them.

"Sorry, I'm late, guys. I overslept." Max stood panting, out of breath from the run. He smiled sheepishly at his friends when he realized that he had just said one of Takao's trademark lines.

Rei couldn't suppress a chuckle at the strangeness of the scene, his soft laughter echoed briefly by Max and Takao. Too quickly the laughter ended as each boy flushed and turned away. Silence reigned until Rei finally broke it.

"Guys, we have to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," Takao readied his blade on his launcher and turned away. 

"Yes, there is," Rei said insistently, reaching out and grabbing Takao's shoulder. "We need to talk about Kai."

"Kai's dead," Takao shouted, shaking off Rei's restraining hand. "There is nothing to talk about!"

"He's dead…" Takao repeated softly, his head was bowed, his long bangs hiding his eyes.

Max had remained quiet through their exchange, his blue eyes shining brightly. He could see how much everyone was hurting, but he just didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort his friends, but he needed someone to comfort him, too.

"Takao, I think Rei's right. I feel like I'm losing you guys. We lost Kai already, I don't want to lose you, too."

"We didn't lose him!" Takao glared angrily at Max. "He was taken from us! Kai was so strong, he was always training. No one could beat him. I don't understand how he could have let this happen!! How could he leave us like that!"

Rei reached out towards Takao only to be shoved roughly away by the angry boy. Loosing his balance, Rei fell hard to the ground. He looked up from where he sat as Takao continued to yell down at him.

"Why didn't you help him? You were with him when they came after him, Rei. How could you let them take him!"

Amber eyes went wide, glazing over with shock at the accusations Takao threw at him. _I did everything I could. I tried, I couldn't get to him. I couldn't help him…_

***flashback***

"I know you probably don't think you can trust anyone, but believe me when I say we'll always be there for you. If you ever need help, I want you to know you can come to me."

***end flashback***

_He's right, I failed Kai when he needed me the most._

"Stop it!" Max shouted, tears gleaming brightly in his eyes. "It's not Rei's fault. He fought to help Kai, remember. He ended up in the hospital because of it. It's not his fault. It's not Kai's fault!"

Max stepped forward to grab Takao, giving him a shake. "And, dammit Takao, it's not your fault either!!"

Takao pushed Max's hands from his shoulders and stepped back, ashamed of what he had said. "I'm sorry, Rei. I just feel like I let him down. Like somehow, if I had only trained harder or paid more attention to what was going on, it wouldn't have happened."

Takao reached out to Rei to help him up. Accepting his hand, Rei stood up and dusted himself off.

"I feel the same way, but I don't think that Kai would have. As much as Kai probably would have denied it, we were friends. He wouldn't have blamed us and he'd probably laugh at us for how stupid we've been behaving. Kai risked everything for the 'Breakers. I don't think he'd wanted to see the team destroyed because of what happened to him."

"You're right, Rei, but it's hard." Max replied. "There's still this gaping hole in the team. I don't think we can bring in a new team mate, it would feel like we were betraying Kai, but I just can't think of what we can do to fill the emptiness."

"I do"

At the quiet words, the three boys whirled around to find Kenny standing behind them. The small brunette had approached them while they were fighting and they hadn't noticed him until that moment.

"You do what?" Takao asked confused.

"I know what we can do about the emptiness." Kenny turned up his palms to show the others the beautiful, blue blade that was resting serenely in his hands. 

"I know we lost Kai, but… with Dranzer with us, it's like he's still here." The brunette explained shyly.

"Is that what you've been working on?" Rei asked quietly, taking the new blade from Kenny.

"Yes, Dizzi was helping me. It's the best we could do. We managed to increase both the defense and the offense without sacrificing any of the speed. I think Kai would have really enjoyed blading with it."

Rei reached into his pocket and pulled out the crippled blade he had treasured since Russia.

"It's beautiful, Kenny," Rei replied removing the bit from the twisted skeleton of Kai's old blade and locking it into place on the new one. "I think Kai would have really liked it."

"Well," Takao prompted. "Are you going to test that beauty out or not?"

Rei smiled as he readied the blade, thinking of how often he had seen his silent team mate launch his blade into battle. For a moment, as the blade flew away from him and rocketed towards the beydish, he felt like Kai was there with them. He looked up to meet the smiles of his team mates. _Maybe, maybe this will help. We'll still have Kai with us in spirit._

As the blade landed in the dish, all the smiles fell away. The beautiful blade had landed perfectly, gracefully spinning in the center, but without any warning the blade suddenly toppled to the side. Frowning, Rei picked it up and repeated his launch into the dish. Again the blade fell promptly with no visible reason evident for why it couldn't maintain its spin.

"Hey, Chief, you sure you got the balance right on that blade?"

"This can't be right," Kenny said, sweeping the blade up. "Dizzi and I worked on this for over a week. It's perfect, I swear."

"That's okay, Kenny," Rei reassured the anxious boy. "I'm sure it's something simple. Maybe something you overlooked."

"But we didn't overlook anything."

The other boys followed Kenny back to where he had left Dizzi. Kenny sat in front of her and placed the blue blade holding Dranzer next to her.

"Dizzi, something's wrong with the blade. For some reason it's not maintaining its spin. Could it be its balance or rotational speed?"

The laptop started browsing through various schematics of beyblades as it looked for any possible flaw.

"Sorry, Chief. It's flawless, that's only to be expected from something that we created."

"Dizzi, it can't be. Why won't it spin?"

"I hate to say it, Chief, but maybe it's not the blade. Maybe Dranzer was damaged in the fire."

The boys looked crushed at that suggestion and suddenly bombarded the laptop with questions. With questions flying from all sides, the computer had difficulty focusing on any one question to answer. 

"Look, there's one way to find out," Dizzi said, tired of the rapid questions she couldn't answer. "If you hook me up to Dranzer, I can do a diagnostic scan and see what's up."

Following Dizzi's instructions, Kenny attached two electrodes to the Dranzer bit piece. As Dizzi started her scan, blue sparks could be seen arcing across the bit piece from one electrode to the other.

"Hmm, that's interesting. Chief, you won't believe this, Dranz…"The gently arcing sparks suddenly increased in size. Abruptly, the laptop shorted out, stopping Dizzi in mid-sentence.

Kenny was frantic. When the electricity had coursed into Dizzi, the screen had blacked out and her voice fell silent. Small sparks could be seen at various ports and a faint smell of burning plastic wafted up at the on-looking boys. Quickly, Kenny disconnected the electrodes and powered Dizzi off in an attempt to limit the potential damage from the overload.

"Dizzi? Dizzi!!" Kenny snatched his laptop up, glaring down at the blue blade. Rei quickly scooped up the blade and tucked it away, a little afraid of what Kenny would do to it if Dizzi was hurt.

Max and Takao just stared at the two boys who were each clutching their treasures close. Looking over at Max, Takao stepped up to Kenny and ushered him inside.

"Come on, let's get inside and see if any damage was done. Max, why don't you and Rei head home, we'll call you if we figure anything out."

"Right. Let's go, Rei," Max latched onto his friend's arm and started pulling him away. "We'll come by tomorrow morning if we haven't heard from you by then."

Max looked back over his shoulder as he led Rei out the dojo's front gate, he watched as Takao escorted the brunette inside.

"Sorry, Rei." Max felt awkward at how he had bullied his friend out of the dojo. "I just thought we ought to give Kenny some space. I also figured it would be better to get Dranzer out of there."

Rei nodded in reply and continued walking with his friend. They walked together until they reached Max's father's shop where Max waved a goodbye before heading inside. Rei continued on alone from there, lost in thought.

Rei didn't notice as the day flew by. He spent the entire day home, trying not to look at the phone. He was anxious about what had happened that morning, unsure if Dizzi's actions were going to have good or bad consequences for the team. Dizzi's fate also troubled him, he desperately wanted Takao to call just to let him know that she was okay.

Despite wanting to stay up just in case Takao or Kenny called, he was just too worn out. Tired from all the nights of unanswered questions, Rei fell asleep on his sofa around 1 am. He was so soundly asleep, that he didn't notice the phone ringing at first. The irritating sound finally roused the boy. In his haste to get up and reach the phone before it stopped ringing, Rei tumbled of the sofa and onto the floor. He didn't even bother getting up, but crawled the few feet to the table where the phone was.

"Hello?"

"Rei, you need to get over here. Now!"

Not even bothering to answer, Rei slammed the phone down and dashed out of his apartment. He was only thankful that he had fallen asleep fully dressed because otherwise he would have been running across town in his pajamas. He arrived breathlessly at the dojo at the same time as Max. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Rei probably would have laughed at his friend. Apparently Max had also been woken up by the 3 am phone call, but, unlike Rei, he had not fallen asleep in his clothes. Now Max stood panting in front of the gate, his blonde hair disheveled, still clad in his pale green pajamas. Before either boy could reach up to knock, the gate flew open. Takao stood in front of them, his face flushed and out of breath.

"Hurry!" Takao turned away and ran towards the dojo, not even looking back to see if the other boys followed him.

Rei and Max were close at his heels. Neither tried to ask questions, they were both too anxious about why Takao had called them so late. They burst into the dojo behind him to see Kenny kneeling before Dizzi on the bare, wood floor.

"What's going on?"

Kenny looked up at Rei with a big grin. "Dizzi's okay. And guys, guess what?"

"Hey, Chief, I get to tell them," Dizzi's voice cut in before Kenny could continue. "Dranzer's okay. When I connected with him, I was able to talk with him briefly. Unfortunately, Dranzer was storing up some major power and the backlash of it fried my circuits."

"Dizzi," Kenny said in exasperation, "that's not the point."

"Right," Dizzi continued, "You see, Dranzer was able to tell me that he had stored the power up because he was trying to use it for strength. He told me that Kai needed his strength."

Max and Rei stood frozen in place, staring down at Dizzi and Kenny. Laughing, Takao leapt up between the two shocked boys and threw his arms over their shoulders.

"Don't you see? Kai's alive"

---------------tbc

I just had to post this chapter before Halloween, it's just not tortured enough to be posted on the same day. Now, nobody better hold their breath waiting for a chapter tomorrow, I have a date with Dracula and then I plan on dancing the night away on stage at a masquerade ball. Alright, you caught me, I don't dance, but other than that I plan on having a great night! ^_^ Maybe I can find a real live bishie at the party (of course, he'd have to be better than Sasuke and Kai…hmmm, sadly, I don't know if that's possible.)

No one made any guesses about 'Room 101' so I get to keep chibi Kai with me. *_* Between him and my bishie Sasuke, I'm in heaven. Yea!! I don't know if anyone cares, but I'll let you know what book the above is from next chapter.

Special Thanks to:

**Summing up the Stars:** Soon enough for you?

**Pika318:** I'm glad you are enjoying my story. I say again, no yaoi in this story. I stick to what I said originally, you will get from my story what you bring to it. Interpret these characters as the best of friends, or as romance waiting to happen. It matters not to me, I only want to write something that I am proud of, and that others can enjoy. I hope you continue to read and enjoy my story.

**Cosmos angel:** ^_^Thanks! I can't help it, I have to update quickly. Writing is such a great stress reliever ^_^  As for poor Kai, unfortunately, he will suffer greatly before this story ends. You know what they say, 'That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.' It's sad that pain is necessary to forge our souls. You'll have to wait and see whether Kai will endure and grow stronger, or if he will fall.

**Kai baby-girl: ;**_; I waited and waited, but you just didn't review. *laughs* Thanks for backing up to review both chappies. I'm glad that you enjoyed the flashbacks and that they weren't hard to follow. I'm also overjoyed to hear that you are feeling what I'm writing (in a sense). I do warn you that I take challenges very seriously…so…you hardly ever cry? MWAHAhaha (I know I haven't made anyone cry yet, nothing very sad has happened yet. Hmmm, do you think if I slowed my updates down to once a month that I could make people cry? ^_~) *giggles* Don't worry, I'm not going to change my original plans, there will be darkness and light ahead. Make sure you come back and tell me what you think.

**DragonBlade****: welcome back! *laughs* I must really be tormenting Kai, everyone keeps saying 'poor Kai.' Well, he's definitely not out of danger yet, so I guess he's going to remain 'poor kai' for a while. As for Ran…Did something happen to him? *smiles angelically* Last I saw him he was playing in a tree with his friend Kai. Guess you'll have to keep reading to find out. ^_~**

**Star:** Thanks for the reviews, my you have a lot of questions. I'll clarify what I can. As for the meanings of the bladers' names in the anime, I hate to say it, but I just don't know. See, different words can have a multitude of meanings, and the only way to know which meaning is there is to see the kanji for it (Kanji are pictures that represent words). For example, Rei, depending on the Kanji used, it could mean; 1) spirit, soul, ghost, 2) zero, or 3)gratitude. Those are just a few examples. There is the additional problem that even though China and Japan use many of the same Kanji, they don't always mean the same thing. Therefore, since Rei's Chinese, I can't trust my definitions because I'm researching his name in Japanese. See, don't I sound smart when I say I don't know anything ^_^ If you find a place that has the kanji for the characters' names, I'll do my best to let you know what they mean. O_O boy, that was just the first question. Let's see, next question: Sorry for the confusion, but Kai's name was never Akemi. That is the nickname that Nadya gave to him as she was raising him, sorta like if your mom or dad calls you sunshine (hey, sunshine, how was school?) ^_^ And with that, I'll end the answers *laughs* You'll just have to wait around and see for the answers to your other questions. Hope this helped.

**Frostt****: We? Just how many of you are there? @_@ *giggles* Chippie would say hi, but I barbequed him. *ducks flying chipmunks attack* Joking, joking *holds out sleeping and sated Chippie* See he's safe, and well fed I might add. Keep up the good work on your story, and I'll see you next time.**

**Lyn/Lin:** What a nice long review ^_^ So nice! *hides in shame* You found a mistake!! Gomen, gomen, GOMENASAI!!!! *whispers shamefully* it was from, not form. I'm going to erase it from history, so if you go back, I'll deny it was ever there. MWAHahahah! As for everything else, yes Voltaire is evil, Kai really should rest and recover (and they do say that comatous people can hear, so maybe you're not crazy), and Kai is definitely a cutie. I know it sounds goofy, but I'm so proud of that question. (I thought it was cute ^_^) And I'll raise your 'argh!' with a 'haha!' *giggles* at least it keeps you coming back. Oh, I said it earlier, but I would like to believe that I'm a good enough writer to bring people to tears. So if slowing down the updates will accomplish that, well, 'an author has to do, what an author has to do ^_~

**Elves of the Moon:** Lhune, thanks for the pretty adjectives (is the thesaurus your friend too?) So, which would you prefer, seeing Kai's mother mentally and physically torture him, or see Kai mentally and emotionally torturing himself. Don't worry, I won't torture you for a decision, I already know what's going to happen. So far you are the only one that seems to want **Beautiful Goodbye, so it may have to wait. And since this story is turning out longer than I thought, it may be a bit of a wait. Of course, I could always put this story on hold until after I write it ^_~**

**Dawn35:** Welcome back, glad you enjoyed. Hope you come back for the next one!

**Evil Kai: **One of? I'm so hurt! *laughs* No I'm not, there are a lot of really great fics out there. Glad you found me. Hope you stick around.

See, I can write a somewhat happy chapter. Have to say, I don't like it as much as my other ones though. *sighs* Oh well, that's one reason I'm writing this. I am trying to improve my skills with action, adventure, and general happy threads. Seems like I tend to write a lot of emotional and angst-ridden stories, they seem easier somehow. Anyways, please let me know if I'm doing alright. Thanks!

*bows* Arigatou!!(Thanks) for the wonderful reviews. Don't forget, with Halloween, there are dark ghosts and mean ogres out *cough*Voltaire*cough*. Don't forget to leave me some light to burn away the shadows. Bring the Sun!!!

Next Chapter is **Done the Wrong Things.**


	12. Done the Wrong Things

Disclaimer: Give me my chibi Sasuke!

Warning: Give me my chibi Sasuke!

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, but someone (I won't name names *SquirrelOfShadows*) stole my beautiful chibi Sasuke! I'm so depressed that I can't focus. So this is a 3,000 word chapter of 'Give me my chibi Sasuke!' repeated over and over. So it would be best if that someone *SquirrelOfShadows* would return him to me before the torch wielding fans come after you *SquirrelOfShadows*. Aren't you glad I don't name names *SquirrelOfShadows* or they would know who to come after.

*laughs* Just kidding. This is a chapter full of Kai torture. Be warned there is torture (duh), blood, and cursing. I obviously don't own Kai, even though I take evil liberties with him. But I do own Hedeon (why do I only own the SOBs?)

Author's ramblings and thanks at the end. Please enjoy!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XII: Done the Wrong Things**

Crimson eyes flared open as Kai felt his bond with Dranzer suddenly interrupted. The dark rubies were only visible briefly as he quickly closed them and forced his body to relax. Determined not to give away any information to his captors, Kai stretched his senses to their limits to determine his current situation.

The harsh, astringent odor of cleaners and chemicals burned his nose. He could feel cold metal under his hands and bare back. Focusing on the sounds of the room, he heard the soft whir of machinery and a recurring tone. Kai knew that it was the sound of his own heart beat that the machine was repeating so carelessly, he had woken too many times in the past to that sound. He strained to hear anything beyond the machines that were supporting and monitoring him, but he could hear no other sounds in the room.

Cautiously, Kai opened his eyes to the bright lights. He tried to look around, but found he only had limited movement. Tight metal restraints held his hands and ankles to the cold table and with the restraint at his neck he couldn't see the entire room. The parts of the room he could see held nothing but medical equipment and instruments. Tensing his muscles, he twisted and pulled against the restraints. Despite his attempts, he was unable to pull out of the restraints or to force them to loosen. Liquid warmth ran down his wrists as the restraints cut into his tender skin.

"You really shouldn't do that. They went to the trouble to clean you up, and now you're just making a mess again."

Kai froze when he heard the soft voice and cursed under his breath when he realized that someone had been standing beyond the head of the table where he had been unable to see. He heard the hollow sound of footsteps falling on the hard floor as the unseen man approached him. The face of the scarred man loomed over him, eclipsing the light directly above his head.

"Hn." _Same bastard, different cell._

Hedeon chuckled darkly at the terse reply the boy gave him. 

"I'm disappointed, Kai. You've gotten much weaker than I remember you being," the disfigured man continued as he started to slowly walk around the table to Kai's side. 

Kai refused to be baited by the man and remained silent, his burning eyes warily tracking the predator's moves. Trying to ignore the taunts of his captor, he focused all his energy on re-establishing his link with Dranzer. 

"Do you even understand the depth of all you've done wrong?"

Glaring at Hedeon, Kai gave no reply. From the long years he had endured at the abbey, he knew that there were times when no answer would satisfy the person tormenting him. In fact, even trying to answer could cause the punishments to grow worse. _I won't play any of your games. I will not compromise myself or my friends anymore._

"I would think your scars alone would remind you of the lessons you learned."

One elegant hand reached down and caressed the bloody wrist, "How many times have you learned that you can't fight against those who are stronger than you? For some strange reason, your mother thought you were smart enough to figure that out. However, here you are again, helpless because you refuse to submit to someone stronger."

"Then again," Hedeon laughed, "maybe you don't remember you lessons. I believe Lord Voltaire said you had forgotten your past. I wonder if it was guilt or weakness that took your memories."

Fingers red with his blood reached over to touch the blue triangles marking Kai's cheeks, "Do you remember when your grandfather gave you these?"

Kai tried to pull away from the cold hand, but the restraint prevented him from evading Hedeon's touch. Crimson eyes turned their fire on the scarred man, trying to make Kai's wish of turning the man into a living torch a reality. Kai remained mute, searching his enemy for any weak points, anything he could exploit.

Red streaks seemed to frame the blue markings on Kai's face where the man had touched his left cheek. Hedeon let his hand drift down to touch the blue markings that decorated Kai's chest. The design was reminiscent of a blue flame. However, instead of the soft swirls that could be noted in a real flame, this flame seemed sharp and jagged like ice. It was difficult to tell with the boy chained down, but the ice flame seemed to flow out from the left side of his upper back. The blue flame spread forward over his left chest and continued down his hip until it was hidden by his torn pants.

"Yes, you bastard," Kai replied coldly. Tired of the man's taunting and cruel touch, he searched for a way to shut him up. "I remember exactly when I received them. What about you. Do you remember when you were disfigured? You warped demon."

Kai openly smirked as the scarred man jolted back from the table at his barb. Despite his situation, the blader forced a chuckle. _Maybe I've found his weak spot. Maybe I can get him so upset that he'll leave me alone long enough to for me to re-establish my link with Dranzer._

His hope died quickly when Hedeon slammed his fist down on his cracked ribs. Racking coughs coursed through Kai's body as he gasped for air, his body bucking reflexively against the restraints. Hedeon's dark laugher filled his ears.

"I guess you do remember more of your lessons than I thought," Hedeon turned away from Kai and reached to a table beyond his view. "But no matter how smart you think you are, you are not skilled enough to play on my level. Unlike you, I do not allow emotions to weaken me."

Kai let out a string of curses that were sporadically punctuated by painful coughs. He tried to slow his breathing, taking shallows breaths, in an attempt to decrease the pain he felt with each breath. _Damn. Not good enough. Everybody has a weak spot, I have to find his._

Hedeon smiled mercilessly as he watched Kai struggle for breath, fighting the pain his blow had caused.

"You still don't understand our connection, do you. Your memory seems quite fickle. Do you conveniently forget the memories you don't want?"

"Perhaps this is memory you would like to disappear," Hedeon's hand brushed over the blue stain on Kai's chest. "I think I would too since this was a trigger for my own scars."

Hedeon laughed as he brought a thin blade into view. Kai couldn't prevent the sharp intake of air as he watched the twisted devil slowly lower the blade until its edge rested at the tip of one of the blue flames. 

"So, Kai, would you like me to erase that memory for you? I'm afraid I don't have the artistic flare of your grandfather, but then again, it doesn't take an artist to destroy a work of art."

Kai suppressed a flinch as the blade bit into his flesh. Restrained as he was there was nothing he could do to stop Hedeon or to protect himself in any way, but he refused to give in. _I won't give that bastard the pleasure of seeing pain._

Hedeon dragged the blade through Kai's flesh with agonizing slowness. The blue ice flames began to become outlined in deep red blood. Kai had learned at a young age many ways to block pain. He would focus on his breathing or find a good memory to become lost in. But no matter how he tried, he couldn't block the pain of the blade that was carving into him. Breathing was no longer a focus, but another pain to try to ignore. And as far as becoming lost in a memory, Kai found he couldn't escape from the dark memories of when he had received his grandfather's brand.

He looked up into the dark eyes of the scarred man above him. The cruel eyes seemed to be lit from within by a malevolent light and they traveled from his face to the ever-growing wound and back as if unsure which sight would cause more pleasure. Kai fought to keep his mask in place, desperately searching for Dranzer with his mind.

Finally, the blade lifted from its work, blood ran across Kai's chest. The blue flames were difficult to see because of the rapidly spreading stain of deep red. Kai allowed himself a moment to close his eyes and try to subdue the throbbing he felt from the new wounds. It hurt, but it was not as bad as the fiery, intense pain he had felt as they were inflicted.

"Hn," Hedeon paused thoughtfully, the blade remaining high above the bloody damage he had created. "A very stubborn memory, isn't it. But after what you did, I can't allow you to hold onto any memory of that bitch. I will take her away a piece at a time."

Again the blade descended, cutting a new path close to the first. "I will destroy this memory by stripping you of it, literally."

Hedeon laughed as Kai's eyes closed and his face twisted in pain as the knife continued to cut deep into his flesh, parallel to the first path. Kai forced his pain-filled eyes open and glared up at his tormentor.

"Kisama," the harsh voice held only scorn, "Go ahead and kill me. I won't let you manipulate me. You can't change the truth."

"Stupid brat," Hedeon laughed, his knife cutting deeper, "you don't even know the truth."

"I know that everything that was beaten into me at the abbey was a lie. No one there ever wanted to do anything more than use me to accomplish whatever twisted goal they had. You can't deny that."

Angry, Hedeon's hand tightened on the blade and it sliced roughly across Kai's chest. He dropped the knife to the floor and placed his hands roughly on Kai's chest. He pressed down against the wound and the injured ribs, eliciting an involuntary cry of pain.

"You're the same selfish brat you were as a child."

The bloody hands moved to delicately touch the thin, white scars that were visible on Kai's throat below the restraining metal band. Slender red smears followed the scars as the bloody fingers traced them.

"Despite everything your mother did for you, the love that she gave you, you always had to disobey and reject her. Even now, you're still rejecting her."

"What she did for me?" Kai's eyes narrowed in anger, his voice sharp with pain. "The love she gave me? Are you insane! Do you think scars mean love? Either you never met my mother, or you're more monstrous than I could ever imagine."

Hedeon's black eyes darkened with fury, his hand closed around Kai's throat. "You are the monster, Kaibutsu. You betrayed her. I should have killed you the day you were born."

The strong hand at his throat continued to tighten, crushing his already bruised throat. Kai writhed in the restraints, but he was too securely bound to escape Hedeon's grasp. His lungs seemed on fire with the need for air, he felt his vision fading in and out. Hedeon's other hand lifted over his face dangling a warped metal object in front of him, but Kai couldn't focus on it in his desperation to breath. 

Kai's crimson eyes remained fixed on the object, trying to remember where he had seen it before. As the darkness closed in, his vision narrowed on the tarnished and warped silver locket hanging from Hedeon's hand. _That's his weakness. My mother…_

For one brief moment he felt hope, he felt the deep flame within that was his bond with Dranzer. His spirit reached out towards the phoenix trying to strengthen the bond, but he found that even his soul had been shackled. Though he would not admit it, even to himself, the pain, weakness, and fear that he endured bound his soul as surely as the metal restraints held his body. His soul cried out as the inner comfort of the phoenix disappeared, the pain and fire burning in his lungs unbearable He fell to the ravenous darkness, almost relieved as it numbed the pain as it claimed him.

_…Dranzer…_

---------------- tbc

Sorry, this took a bit longer than my other chapters. I haven't had much time lately, and it just wasn't coming together well. I hope it turned out okay. Sorry for anyone whose stories I've been reading and reviewing, I haven't had time to read anything lately. I'm just finding spare moments to post, I feel guilty if I don't. As soon as I can, I'll read and review I promise.

For the well-wishers, I had a fantastic time on Halloween. Dracula was great and the ball was a lot of fun. I even met a hunky guy, a cute magician (not a costumed one). Unfortunately, I had to leave the ball before I could flirt enough for an exchange of numbers. So in case he reads fanfics (boy, I'm dreaming here), I was the tall, masked girl in the shimmery blue dress). *laughs* I promised my friend I'd make an attempt to find him, so this is my attempt. 

I have to give congratulations and *sniffles* my bishie Kai to **Jae**!** **

You were the only one who seems to know about Room 101. For those who don't, it's from a book called '1984.' It is a book written about the future. The future is a place where Big Brother is always watching and everyone is controlled by the government. When one man breaks free from this control, he is tracked down and brought to Room 101. This is the room used to reprogram any rebels, it holds a person's greatest fear and uses it against them. I thought it was a fitting place to chain our beautiful rebel Kai.

*sniffles* Now I don't have chibi Kai or Sasuke to keep me warm. *smiles* But I'll get them back next chappie *_*

Special Thanks to: (yea!, lots of reviews)

**Cosmos angel: **I felt bad about leaving Kai out last chapter, so I devoted this chapter to him. Is he suffering enough for you?

**Kai baby-girl:** Thanks! I had a great time at the party. And I agree with you completely, I think Takao training is worthy of a horror fic, it's way too scary ^_~

**Cherrii****: *laughs* Sorry, Kai is not mine to give. I decided that since you still haven't gotten the hang of flying, I'd help you out some more. *Grabs Ra and tosses her off cliffie* Fore!!!**

**Frostt****: Hey! I didn't see you at the party, I would think Frankenstein would have stood out ^_~  I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter, I'm going to try to keep a fair balance between Kai, his past, and his friends. Catch you and the chippies next time.**

**Jae****: Treat my chibi Kai well, I expect him back undamaged *confused look* Hm…I guess he's already pretty damaged @_@ I really loved 1984, too. It has amazing insights into what the world could become. Thanks for the review and accepting my challenge. See you next chapter!! ^_^**

**DragonBlade****: I'm not tormenting you, I'm tormenting Kai. Pay attention ^_~ *laughs* Poor Kai, sometimes death can be preferable to life, hope he can hang on.**

**Kai the ruthless blader:** Thanks for the review. Hope school work gets easier for you.

**LaDiNi****: O_O Wow! Thanks for the great review. *sniffles* Wow, passioned and natural, I'm so flattered *dances for joy, swinging LaDiNi around* Thanks for the correction of voila, I knew it looked wrong, but couldn't think of how it was. English is my native tongue and I know a spattering of Spanish, Latin, German, and Japanese. I love languages because they teach so much about the culture. As to your questions, Kai's true eye color is something of a mystery. In the first season, the consensus is that his eyes are red. However, I've noticed the same as you, that they seem to change at different times. I'm using that to my advantage in my fic. I don't know if you have ever heard of hazel eyes. Hazel eyes tend to be green with flecks of other colors in them, this allows them to appear to change color. My eyes are hazel and depending on what I wear, people tell me my eyes are green, blue, sometimes amber. I decided to use his changing eye color and tie it into his emotions, I thought it would be interesting and help explain why they change in the show. Hope that answered your question. I'll email you about the other question. Good luck with your own fic. (by the way, I love your name. It sounds elegant, makes me think of Lady Night. Probably nowhere near what it means, but that's the picture I see)**

**Yaoi**** Angel:** Thanks for the fabulous compliments. I love the clicks! Thanks!! I'm writing, so keep reading

**Lyn/Lin:** Aww, Lyn, that wasn't a cliff-hanger, this is *giggles* Don't let homework bug you, let me take that job on ^_~ See ya next time!

**Othela****: Yep, they got it, but they don't have him yet. Wish them luck!**

**SquirrelOfShadows****: *chasing after Shady tossing sharp kunai* Give him back!! He's Mine!!! *Trips over chipmunk* Noooooooooo…… *big tears leaking from big chibi eyes* My poor bishie Sasuke ;_; *laughs* I wanted to say thanks for the reviews, especially since you went back to review the earlier ones. I just couldn't stop laughing when I read the review for 11. Very cute ^_^, but I still want my Sasuke back. NOW!**

**Sirith****: Thanks for the praise. I hope you continue to enjoy it!**

**A*a*a*k*i:** *BANG* Dang, missed. *laughs* Don't worry I couldn't shoot you, I'm saving the bullets for Kai ^_~ Oh, and you're not wrong! Good intuiting. ^_^

**The Fire-breathing-ferret:** Next chappie!! At your request. I think I can guess what you'll ask for next…'next chapter, please' *laughs* see you then!

**Hoshi Neko Ryu:** Thanks! I'm glad my characters are believable. It's an interesting idea to have Kai's mother be a geisha, but I already have plans for her. I am debating about whether or not Kai will find out who his father is. Thanks for the info on the convent, I'll have to do some research on that. Please do stick around until the end, I hope it lives up to expectations. ^_^ Oh, and as far as a good Kai/Rei fic, I refer you to **Staring Into Scarlet Eyes Arch **by Shinigami's Voice. It's a very well done fic that has some touching Kai/Rei.

**Sherbet Mayhem:** *sniffles* 'Overdone?' Wah!!!! *laughs* If you can believe it, I have tried to pare down my descriptors, but I have a hard time cutting them out. I think of writing as being akin to painting. I don't want to draw stick figures, I want to paint a beautiful picture to express my emotions and to draw readers in. Sounds corny, I know. I'm afraid it's not something I can change about myself, so you'll have to bear with it. ^_^  Thanks for the reviews on my past chapters and thanks for the praise. I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I'm very happy that you are intrigued by the clues I've left in the past. Stick around, it'll all come together eventually 

Wow! So many reviews. Thanks!!! And thanks to anyone else who is reading and enjoying.

Don't forget to leave a little light. Bring the Sun!!

It may change due to plot re-arranging, but for right now, the next chapter is **Burning Whispers.**


	13. Burning Whispers

Disclaimer: Don't own anime, song, Kai, Rei, etc,etc,etc *in fake Siamese accent*. I do own me, and nobody else out there can say that. So there!

Warning: I'm upping the rating to R kiddies. So if you are under 17, I expect you to close your eyes at the appropriate times. Everyone clear on that? Good. Oh and I'm killing Kai this chapter. Please enjoy!

Author's Note: *wedged in a snuggle sandwich between Kai and Sasuke, drooling blissfully* Note, what note? Don't bother me now, I'm busy. Go read or whatever. *snuggles closer, purring* MMMmmm Bishie goodness.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XIII: Burning Whispers**

The bright room was silent. Hedeon's cruel laughter had stopped moments before, shortly after the boy's struggles had ceased. Now he stood frozen, his hand clenched around the throat of the still body on the table. His face was expressionless as he stared down at the blood streaked face below.

"It was almost too easy." 

Hedeon was broken out of his reverie by the sudden alarms around him. The machines that were monitoring the boy started crying out for help for the boy who could no longer scream himself. The alarms reverberated through the underground complex, setting off a flurry of activity. In seconds, people were crowded outside the secured door to room 101. An amused chuckle escaped Hedeon's lips as he watched the anxious faces vie for a chance at the small window.

After what seemed like an eternity to the terrified men outside, they finally managed to unlock the door with the correct identification code. Hedeon allowed himself to be pushed out of the way, showing only a slight reluctance at letting go of Kai's throat. The men who had entered the room swarmed over to the table and machines where the still form lay. One man, probably driven by his fear of Voltaire's punishments, approached Hedeon screaming obscenities at him.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" he cried, waving frantically at the activity behind him. "Lord Voltaire specifically said he wants the boy alive. Don't you understand what that means, you bastard? If something happens to the kid, then we are all dead."

Nonchalantly, Hedeon grabbed the scientist by the shoulder and drove the already bloody knife into his chest. After a quick twist of the blade, he released both the knife and the man, allowing the dying man to fall to the floor.

"We all die someday."

Hedeon turned and strode out of the room, leaving behind the sounds of those struggling for life and death. The four men surrounding Kai had seen the exchange, but made no move to help their companion. His death, while regrettable, was not important. It was a different story for the boy lying before them.

"He's not breathing!"

"I got a pulse, it's 34. Shit! It's gone."

"Quick, bag him, I'll start chest compressions."

"Someone get these fucking restraints off him, I can't get a good airway!"

"I got a pulse with compressions."

"Should we shock him?"

"Can't. Between the metal table and the bloody mess of his chest, we'd do more harm than good."

"That asshole! If the kid dies, I'll kill him and save Lord Voltaire the trouble."

"Hold compressions. Let's see if we have anything."

The frenetic activity paused briefly as the scientists stopped CPR and checked for a pulse and breathing. The alarms continued to scream bloody murder, but the scientists ignored them, focusing entirely on Kai.

"Come on, kid. Gimme something!"

"I've got a pulse! It's very weak, 40."

"Quick, push some epi!"

One by one the alarms fell silent as the scientists' efforts were rewarded. Kai's chest rose and fell slowly, his heart quickening to reach the speed where it could again support his body. As he continued to show increasing proof of life, the men slowed down, finally stepping back to watch the results of their efforts.

"What happened here?"

At the frigid voice, the four scientists turned fearfully to stare at where Voltaire stood framed by the doorway. The newly promoted head of the research department stepped hesitantly forward, past the body of his predecessor.

'My Lord Voltaire," the man gushed, eager to shift the blame away from himself. "We heard the alarms and rushed here immediately. When we got here, we found Hedeon trying to kill your grandson. Thankfully, we managed to save him."

"I see," Voltaire turned to go, not sparing a glance at his grandson or the man gasping blood on the floor. "Just remember, his life is your life."

Blue eyes filled with fear turned to meet the frightened stares of his co-workers gathered around Kai's bloody form. "From now on, one of us will stay with the kid at all times."

He motioned at one of the scientists. "You're taking first watch. I'm going to get something to drink."

With trembling steps he left the room, followed closely by the men he hadn't picked. As he left, he tossed back at the unlucky volunteer. "And clean up that mess."

-----elsewhere--------

"Dizzi, what's taking so long?"

"Takao, just be patient. She's doing her best.

"I know, Chief, but she's been trying for three hours now."

Kenny sighed at Takao's impatience and turned back to his laptop. He was worried too, but he didn't want to let the others know. Ever since they had found out that Kai was alive, Dizzi had remained hooked up to Dranzer's bit piece trying to speak with him again. Unfortunately, while she was intent on Dranzer, she wasn't able to communicate with him. _I hope she's okay in there. I don't want Dranzer to accidentally fry her again._

"Hey, Takao," Max tapped on Takao's arm. "Why don't we go practice? Dizzi's working hard, we should too. We don't want Kai to gripe at us about losing our skills."

"All right!" Takao leapt up and followed Max outside. "I can't wait to find our sourpuss and show him have good I've gotten."

Rei laughed to see his friends' good humors returning. When they had learned that Kai was still alive, it had been as if a darkness had been lifted off of them. _I know he's still in danger, but he's alive. As long as he's alive, there is hope. He's waiting for us. I know we'll find him!_

"Finally," Dizzi's voice came abruptly from the laptop. "Hey Chief, I've finally gotten Dranzer's attention. Call everyone back and maybe we can get some answers from him."

In moments, the four boys sat crowded around the laptop in a semicircle. All eyes were glued on the laptop anxious for news. Thankfully, Dizzi didn't make them wait.

"Okay guys, here's the scoop. Dranzer has been in deep concentration trying to re-establish his bond with Kai. But other than a few brief contacts, he has not been successful. Now he can't sense him. I asked him to trust us, and he's agreed to try to help us as much as he can to find Kai again. I'm going to let him work through me so you can ask him questions."

"Are you going to be alright if he does that?" Kenny asked anxiously. "I don't want him to short-circuit you."

"Don't worry Kenny, I'll be fine. It's sort of like I'll be asleep. I won't be able to talk, but I'll hear everything."

Kenny nodded reluctantly as the others scooted closer to see the screen. The screen went black and was slowly filled with a spiraling flame in the center.

"Thank you," As the soft voice flowed from the speakers, the fire on the screen expanded and retracted with the rich tones as the voice gained strength and intensity. "Thank you for not giving up on Kai, for not giving up on me."

"But we did," Takao interrupted ashamedly. "We thought Kai was dead and we left him."

"You may have believed he was dead, little dragon, but you did your best to keep him alive in your heart. You are all true friends."

"I'm glad you think so Dranzer," Rei said smiling.

Deep, musical laughter filled the room, "I think so because Kai thinks so. Kai never told you how he felt about you, but I know. Our connection has always been very deep. He may have been able to hide his feelings from himself, but never from me. He cares deeply about all of you."

The boys were at a loss at this. Because they each had deep connections with their bit beasts, they knew that Dranzer was telling the truth. It seemed weird to hear that Kai liked them, they had each secretly, and in Takao's case vocally, expressed doubt over his feelings. Rei, however, was not as shocked as the rest and he was more glad than ever that he had reached out to Kai in Russia.

"Dranzer, Dizzi told us that you were able to reach Kai, that he is still alive. Do you know were he is?"

"Yes and no, little tiger. I believe Kai is alive, but I can't sense him now. When our bond was intact, I tried to find out where he was, but Kai wasn't able to tell me. He didn't recognize the place where he was being held. I do know that he is in Japan. When we reached the shores of Japan I could feel him again. I don't know exactly where he is, but he can' be too far or I wouldn't have been able to reach him."

"That's great," Takao enthused, "we'll find him in no time."

"It's not that simple, Takao, we just don't know enough," Kenny said, dampening Takao's joy immediately. "Dranzer, Dizzi's always been tight-lipped about bit beasts, but I think the more we know, the better the chance we'll have of finding Kai. Will you help us out?"

"I would do anything for Kai. What do you want to know?"

"What are bit beasts? Where do they come from?" Rei began with a question that had always bothered him.

"There are many animal spirits in our world. They have existed for as long as humans have. Some exist only for themselves while others, like myself, have formed deep bonds with humans. We have become guardian spirits to those we care about. You refer to us as bit beasts."

"That's really interesting, "Takao said in a bored tone, "but I don't see how this helps us find Kai. Dranzer, we think Kai's grandfather kidnapped him, but we don't know why."

"You are correct, little dragon. He was taken by That man. But you must understand the nature of the guardian spirits to understand why. That man wants to rule the world using us spirits. To do this, he created Black Dranzer. His dark creation is very powerful, but lives by the same code as all the spirits. You see, once a guardian spirit chooses someone to bond with, to protect, they are linked eternally. This bond represents complete dedication to that person, a bond that allows for no compromises. This link extends to all those who share blood with that chosen person."

"I don't understand," Takao looked confusedly at his friends for an explanation. "What's that mean exactly?"

"I think he's saying that a bit beast only rises for someone who shares the blood of his chosen one. That means that because Draciel and I have bonded, then she will protect me and my family."

"I'm afraid it's more complicated than that, little tortoise. She is bonded with you because of an earlier bond with one of your ancestors. You received her from your grandmother on your father's side; therefore, she would rise for you and your father. But your mother is not part of that blood line, therefore, you mother could never call Draciel to battle."

"That can't be right," Takao protested. "Rei received Drigger from Lee's clan. He isn't part of that family, but he has a bond with Drigger. How do you explain that?"

"Little tiger, your secrets are not mine to share. Would you like to tell them?"

Takao, Max, and Kenny all turned to stare at Rei. Smiling, Rei answered their questioning looks.

"I'm sorry guys, I didn't tell you this earlier because of everything that happened in Russia. You see, Lee and I finally talked while I was in the hospital after the Russian tournament. Lee told me that he had confronted his grandfather about why he had given me Drigger. His grandfather told him that I am also his grandson. It seems my father had fallen in love with a woman that he had disapproved of. My father ran off to be with her and was disowned. My grandfather felt so guilty about losing his eldest son that when my parents died he took me in. He was too ashamed to tell me the truth, but he tried to make up for it by passing Drigger on to me in place of my father."

"Wow," Takao looked shocked. "That means you and Lee are cousins, right?"

"Yes. Of course, I've always felt like he was more like a brother," Rei said smiling.

"So do you understand the problem now?" Dranzer's deep voiced continued when the boys didn't answer. "That man created Black Dranzer from me, more than a copy, but less than a clone. Therefore, Black Dranzer is bonded to Kai through his blood, just like I am. But That man does not share the blood of our link, therefore he can't control Black Dranzer anymore than he can control me."

"That man created a monster to subdue all the guardian spirits, but found that he couldn't control it," the flames grew wilder, spreading to cover the entire screen. "When he discovered its link to Kai, he was obsessed with using Kai to control it. That man believes that by controlling Kai he can control Black Dranzer. He doesn't understand, that monster can't be controlled, not even by Kai. Just as the spirit is corrupted, so too is the bond it formed. But That man does not care, he would sacrifice anything for his mad dream, even his own grandson."

------------tbc

^_^ That looked like a good stopping place.

*MWAHahaha* I told you I would kill Kai, but I didn't say for how long ^_~ I think he was dead for a good 5 minutes *giggles* How many of you read the warning and felt your jaw hit the floor? *laughs* It's so fun to play with Kai! (and Kai lovers!)

I'm afraid I've strayed quite a ways from my original outline, but I'm having so much fun doing it. Hopefully that it's turning out better than I originally planned. I hope everyone liked my 'origins of bit beasts' and my revelation about Rei. The origins are extremely important, so I had to fiddle with Rei's background to make it work. Hey! It's possible that Rei really could be the bastard descendant of Lee's clan (anything's possible).

Culture Note:

I just realized something really fascinating. I feel sort of stupid for not seeing it earlier. If any of you have seen or read the manga 'Fushigi Yuugi,' than you have heard about the Four Gods of Heaven and Earth. For those who haven't, there is a mythical story from China about Four Guardian Deities. They are made up of constellations and those constellations were a way for the Chinese to mark the passing of the seasons. The interesting thing to note is what the deities were:

1) Seiryu – Blue Dragon of the East 

2) Suzaku – Red Bird of the South (It looks like a phoenix)

3) Byakko – White Tiger of the West

4) Genbu – Black Tortoise of the North (many times it is shown greenish in color)

*Now this won't play a factor in my story, I was simply not smart enough to notice it in time for that, but I thought it was interesting enough to share with all of you.*

Special Thanks to:

**Othela****: *laughs* I've just had a chance to check out your story again. You are definitely not in a position to lament my torturing Kai. Miss Kai of the Eight Fingers!! At least my Kai still has all of his fingers and toes, even if I did kill him a little. Thanks for the review, good luck with your story.******

**Kai the Ruthless Blader:** I hope you get the 'burning whispers' part now. I actually didn't know what I meant until I wrote it ^_~ Oh and Kai won't get saved. In the true spirit of Kai, I have other plans for him.

**Frostt****: Thanks for the encouragement. It's much appreciated. I do want to say you're story is coming along very nicely. Keep up the great work!**

**Stolen Spirit:** Great name. I agree completely, Kai angst is so necessary for a good story! Poor Kai, how we all love to torture him so.

**SquirrelOfShadows****: *laughs gleefully while punting chibi Naruto off into the distance* MWAhahaha I definitely got the better part of the deal! ^_^  *watches Shady (can I call you that?) chase the foxy blonde off towards the horizon* Threaten with him all you want ^_~ I promise, I'll update again as soon as I can!**

**Curtis Zidane Ziraa:** Poor Kitty (Meow?) Sorry, I don't speak cat. But I definitely understand, poor Kai!

**Cosmos angel:** Yep, Kai's alive and the hunt is on, but do you really think Takao is smart enough to hunt down anything smarter than a corndog? Poor Kai, he's truly doomed!

**LaDiNi****: Again, I'd like to give a shameless plug for a budding authoress. LaDiNi has just posted her own fic, it's called ****Beginning, and it's quite impressive. Please give her a little light, I want her to update quickly! She's brand new with us, so be kind! See you later Lady Night *grins shamelessly, sorry, can't help myself***

**Kai baby-girl:** *holds candle reverently* I'll treasure it always *pft* Damn, it blew out. Guess you'll just have to come back and relight it for me! And you're right about the locket, in case you were wondering ^_^

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: **Don't worry, you're not evil. I am! Evil Incarnate. *MWAHAhaha* Not too convincing am I. Oh well, I'll just have to up my torture threshold. ^_~

**Jae****: *smiles enormous grin* Thanks for the quick return, I miss him when he's away for too long ;_; I'm glad you like the mystery, I'm trying to resolve it slowly to keep people intrigued. All questions will be answered eventually. Hope you find the answers as interesting as the questions.**

**Dark-pheonix-gurl:** Thank you for the kind review. I'm very flattered that you added me to your fav author list. ^_^

**Elves of the Moon:** *laughs* I'm glad you like my Kai torture, I was worried that it wouldn't work well. It's so hard to hurt him, I just love him so much!! As for the others helping him, I'm a bit suspicious that by the time they find him, it will be too late. *Cheshire grin* But what do I know?

**Dawn35:** I finally got a chance to catch up on your story. Very nice. So, ask requested, I continue. Catch you next time.

Thanks for everyone who is reading my story and enjoying it. It is much appreciated. I hope you all stick around to see what other little secrets I have up my sleeve. It's building, I promise. I am hoping this is a story that keeps you in suspense while you are reading it, but that once you're done, you read it again and just keeping saying, 'd'oh' when you see all the clues I'm leaving behind. That's my ambition.

Catch you next time. As always, Bring the Sun!!

Coming soon, **Left Alone.**


	14. Left Alone

Disclaimer: I never said I'd kill Kai. Oops, yes I did. I mean, I never said Kai would die. You'll have to watch to see. I don't own Kai, yada, yada, yada (yabadabado!)

Warning: Sorry everyone, no blood in this one. This one's pretty tame as Kai torture goes. 

Author's Note: Sorry torture lovers. This one is needed to fill in more info. Hope it moves along well for you. I am planning a fight in the next chapter, so stick around.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XIV: Left Alone**

Soft muttering penetrated the darkness clouding Kai's mind. Kai focused on the voice trying to determine what the man was saying, but the voice was too low to make out much.

"So much blood…damned freak…all because…brat…Voltaire…"

Kai allowed himself a silent sigh of regret. He was still trapped, a captive of his deranged grandfather. Kai had never sought death, he had too strong a bond with Dranzer to abandon him, but he admitted to himself that at this moment death might be preferable. 

Since the voice was so soft, Kai took the chance that the person was not close to him and opened his eyes slightly to look around. Through barely noticeable slits, he saw a man kneeling on the floor off to the right of where he lay. The man had his back to Kai and seemed to be scrubbing at something on the floor. A slow smirk spread across Kai's face as he realized two things; the man was not paying any attention to him and he was no longer restrained. _How stupid can they get. I think I better seize this chance while I can._

The scientists had made several monumental mistakes about the boy. The biggest of which was the assumption that his brush with death had made him even weaker than before. They had not even bothered replacing the restraints after they coded him. Unfortunately, they hadn't taken into account their own life-saving efforts. Thanks to the infusion of fluids, blood, and drugs they had given him to save his life, Kai was actually stronger than when he was first brought into the white room. Kai was more than willing to take advantage of their mistakes.

Kai had always moved with instinctive grace and silence, but when he made an effort to move with stealth, he seemed otherworldly. The man on the floor heard nothing as the boy eased himself off the table and moved with the silence of a spirit to stand behind him. He never even had the chance to experience surprise as he crumpled to the floor under Kai's sudden sharp blow to the back of his neck.

While he was devising an escape plan, he stripped the scientist of his white lab coat and struggled to haul the limp body up onto the table where he had been laying. Kai knew enough not to make the same foolish mistakes as the scientists, so he wasted no time locking the restraints onto the limp body, using the man's own tie as a gag. Finally, he used a nearby sheet to cover the man from head to toe. _Hopefully no one was watching when I took him down. I can only pray that I've escaped detection so far._

Kai quickly pulled on the lab coat, covering the numerous bandages decorating his bare chest. He quickly wet his hair in the sink by the table, using a towel to get rid of the excess water. With his hair damp it seemed a darker gray than usual, it also fell heavily to frame his face. Kai knew that if for a short time at least, this would hide the blue marks on his cheeks and the darker blue hair at the nape of his neck. It was a very rough disguise, but Kai hoped it would be enough to help him avoid detection from casual onlookers and anyone watching the cameras.

Taking advantage of the scientist's second mistake, he had left to security door wedged open to allow the strong smell of disinfectants to escape the small room, Kai left the room marked 101 and firmly shut the door behind him.

--------meanwhile--------

Four silent boys surrounded the laptop from which Dranzer was speaking to them. It was taking them a bit to digest all the new info that the bit beast was giving them.

"At least we know he's alright," Takao stated.

"No, we don't," came Rei's flat reply. "We know he's alive, but that's all."

"But Dranzer just said that his grandfather needs him to control Black Dranzer. That means he needs Kai, he wouldn't hurt him if he needs him, right?"

"Little dragon, I wish that were true." The screen darkened as the flames dimmed. "Kai has been consumed by guilt for his past betrayal of all of you. He is determined not to compromise the faith that you showed him out on that frozen lake. His grandfather is equally determined to force Kai back to his side."

"So he would harm Kai?" Max asked sadly.

"Yes, little tortoise," came the burning reply. "He already has. Through our bond, Kai and I share strength and emotions. When our bond was re-established here in Japan, I could sense everything he was going through. He was trapped in a dark place and very weak. I gave him as much of my strength as I could, but I don't know if it was enough. I could feel pain radiating from his soul. I am very worried for him."

"We'll find him," Rei stated this as an absolute fact. _We have to, I promised._

"Guys, I have an idea," Kenny moved forward, letting his fingers fly over the keyboard. "Hey, Dranzer, I need my screen. Okay, here we go. We know that Voltaire formed BioVolt approximately 10 years ago. I know from my resources that it quickly became one of the most successful Beyblade research and development corporations. The Demolition Boyz were sponsored by BioVolt, as was the Russian tournament."

"For all the good it did them," Takao bragged. "We still wiped the floors with them."

"Well, I was thinking. Voltaire's pretty smart. He always seems to have a plan, so maybe he had a back-up plan in case his first one failed."

"I bet you're right, Chief." Rei said appreciatively. "Since he is intent on using Kai's beyblade, Black Dranzer, to take over, it's probably another tournament or championship."

"And here it is," Kenny grinned at his screen. "There is a tournament scheduled to take place in three days here in Japan. Since Dranzer says Kai's somewhere nearby, I bet that's it. Ha!! Look at this, do you see who the sponsor of the home team is? It's a company called TechAire."

"What an arrogant guy. That's got to be it Kenny. It makes sense. BioVOLT and TechAIRE. He is practically shouting, 'here I am, just try to stop me."

"Well, Rei," Takao said grinning, "That's just what we'll do. Chief, find out where their headquarters are and we'll pay them a visit. I bet that that's where they'll have Kai."

--------speaking of Kai----------

The bright corridors offered no shadows for Kai to take refuge in, so he used a different stealth technique. _Hide in plain sight._

The slate haired boy strode purposefully down the corridor, seeming to all the world to be moving with a mission. Looking like all the others that bustled along the passageway, the youth blended in purely on his ability to display the arrogant attitude of someone who belonged. _It's amazing how people are intimidated just by an attitude. Guess it's always been a 'gift' that I intimidate others from asking questions of me._

Kai knew that the underground complex would be difficult to escape, but he had already devised a strategy. _I'll just treat it like a maze. It may take longer, but at least I'll be guaranteed to find the way out._

The secret to escaping a labyrinth is very simple. If you place one hand on the wall and follow that wall through whatever twists and turns it takes, you will eventually reach the exit. Though Kai did not actually touch the wall on his right, he was using that principle. He followed that wall, turning right at every intersection of corridors. It meant that he would sometimes travel past a particular spot a couple times, but he knew that that was preferable to wandering around completely lost.

As he walked he passed numerous training halls where young boys were training relentlessly. He walked past small cells that served as living quarters. He even found himself touring what could only be referred to as a dungeon again. _Damned sadist. It's not enough to 'train' the childhood out of kids, but he always has to have a place to torture and kill them._

Kai finally found himself in a large room that didn't seem to fit with the other underground rooms. Most of the rooms had been cold, sterile, whether they were the research rooms or the bare cells for students. This room however was completely opposite. The room was filled with rich colors and textures. Tapestries in rich earth tones hung on the walls and large comfortable pieces of furniture invited people to sit and rest. On the far wall hung a large portrait, the picture filled the entire wall.

Kai walked slowly to stand directly in front of the portrait, curious to see who could be so important in such a cruel place. The portrait was of a woman and child, a mother and son. Kai stared at the picture, there was something wrong with it. The woman was very dark and beautiful, with ebony hair and eyes and pale skin. She was a classic example of pure Japanese elegance and beauty, clad in an elaborate red and gold kimono. Her left arm embraced the child beside her. The small boy was clad in European style clothes, his hair was a pale blue, but he had his mother's black eyes. Kai frowned when he finally realized what was wrong with the portrait. The boy not only had his mother's dark eyes, but the same flinty expression was on his face. Kai knew he didn't have much experience when it came to mothers and sons, but he thought that a painting so beautifully rendered would show something more.

***flashback***

He stood at the top of the hill, looking down on the large castle in front of him. He was so excited, today Nadya had told him he would get to meet his mother.

"It's a castle! Does Mama really live there? Will I get to meet her today?"

He giggled as Nadya pulled him into the warm circle of her arms. Breathing in the soft scent of cherry blossoms that always accompanied her hugs, he returned her hug tightly. Then, anxious for her answer, he squirmed for release.

"Yes, she's in there waiting for us right now."

Kai bright face lit up from within as he looked up at the smile she directed so lovingly at him. His own smile answered hers. _I love you, Nadya._

Laughing, the small child turned and ran down to the unknown, innocent of all that awaited him.

***end flashback***

_Somehow I thought that it was just me and my mother. I thought that everyone else had love from their mothers. Isn't it supposed to be like that? Why isn't she smiling at her son like Nadya smiled at me?_

Loud footsteps could be heard echoing from the passageway approaching the room. Kai abandoned the portrait and ducked quickly into the small alcove behind one of the many tapestries on the other walls. He cursed himself for stopping so long by the portrait. Speed and stealth were his best weapons right now, his delay could prove to be very costly. His breath caught in his throat as he recognized the heavy pattern of the footsteps entering the room. _Grandfather…_

Kai remained frozen in place, his breath reflexively shifting to a quieter, slower rhythm. The gentle clink of glass could be heard as Voltaire poured himself a drink. His footsteps, muffled by the thick carpet, passed by Kai's hiding place, traveling to the very spot that Kai had just vacated. 

"For you," Kai heard the soft clink again as Voltaire refilled his cup. "Okaasama, it is all for you."

Kai's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this. He had never even thought of his Grandfather having parents. _I always assumed he was spawned from hell, just like every other demon._

"I have retrieved Kai, and with him, I will finally be able to take control of the world. It is all for you, Okaasama. You should have been the one to rule, your power and vision entitled you to it. I will make sure that they are all punished, everyone who cast you away and denied you what was rightfully yours. They will all pay!"

Dark laughter filled the room. Kai felt his blood run cold as his grandfather ranted about destruction and power. He was more convinced than every that, no matter what, he would not allow his grandfather to use him again. _If that woman was anything like Grandfather, she deserved anything she got. Maybe darkness is inherited, he received it from her and it has been passed down to me. Maybe that's what's wrong with me, why I deserve this. Did I receive the sins of my family?_

"I remember everything you taught me about the guardian spirits and their powers. With the strength of the phoenix, the most ancient of spirits, one can rule the world. You were denied the phoenix, but they couldn't stop me. I have the phoenix and I will use it as you had planned. Finally, everything is coming together."

Kai remained still behind the tapestry as his grandfather's ranting finally tapered off. The old man had been steadily drinking as he spoke to his mother. Finally, Voltaire stumbled off drunkenly to return to his private sleeping quarters. Kai eased the tension that had built in his muscles before moving out silently from behind his cover. He looked up again at the portrait. _Grandfather, whatever you're planning, I'll stop you. I won't let you win, you old wind-bag._

"Full of hot-air, isn't he?"

Surprised at the words that echoed his thoughts, Kai spun around searching for the speaker. To his horror, he spotted Hedeon leaning in the doorway, smiling cruelly at him. Hedeon laughed at his expression and took a step into the room, adroitly blocking the exit. Kai stepped back, creating more space around him in preparation of the attack he knew was coming.

"I've had to listen to the old fool for ages. It never gets better."

Without warning, Hedeon launched himself at Kai, determined to punish him appropriately for all his previous actions.

--------------tbc

*sighs* I just don't know how to feel about this chapter. I'm sorry if it was too slow for you guys. I needed to present the info to prepare for upcoming chapters. I'm going to try to make the next chapter faster, info interspersed between action.

This chapter is partially inspired by a couple things. First, is the fact that I don't believe in the 'inherent evil of man.' I believe we are all inherently good, but that circumstance can corrupt and change us. Hence, I've always wondered, why is Voltaire such a bastard? I think he was made this way because of his mother (next chapter will have more on mothers). 

The second inspiration is the song 'World So Cold.' This is the overall inspiration for the story, but I have listened to it so many times since starting this story that I have recently picked up on something. I'm going to share a portion of the lyrics with you.

'Burning whispers, remind me of the days,  
I was left alone, in a world this cold  
Guilty of the same things, provoked by the cause,  
I've left alone, in a world so cold'  
The thing that stuck out was the part about 'left alone' The first time it's something that happened to the person, the second time the person is doing it to someone else. Make sense? It's like the idea that someone who has been abused, may go on to give abuse.

Oh well, I just don't know if I'm expressing this well. If I get flames, I understand. (I don't want, but I will understand)

Special Thanks to: (aren't I nice, I'm updating! I almost wanted to wait until some of my usual reviewers wrote, but that wouldn't be fair to the rest of you)

**KaiKurtRavenWhizy****: *laughs* Welcome aboard the Kai torture express. It seems none of us really know if we want to torture or cuddle Kai, so we seem to do both. Glad you found my story, don't worry, the torments will resume shortly.**

**LaDiNi****: *waves happily* Hi!! Don't worry, I will do some more flashbacks, you will get to see cute Akemi, Nadya and Ran again. (I'm so glad you like them ^_^) I'm not really planning on them rescuing him. I think in times of emotional crisis we have to rescue ourselves. Wish Kai luck!**

**SS2 Megami-sama:** *returns salute* Yeah! Glad you enjoyed. I'm mean only because I know you want it, right? I'm actually as pure and innocent as the undriven snow *coughs at pure lie spilling from lips*  Oh and don't feel bad about Shakespeare, he made up about as many words as Dr Seuss. (I guess the motto is, when in doubt, make something up!)

**Kai the Ruthless Blader:** Kai can save himself, thank you very much ^_~ See kai's alive and alone, per usual.. Hope you enjoyed

**DragonBlade****: I did notice that in YYH. I liked Kurama's fight with Genbu. And I already killed Kai, So now I'm trying something different, letting him live ^_~ (for a while)**

**Frostt****: **;_; **'boring' *sniffles* WAaahhhhhh!!!! *hides under bed in shame* Sicc her Chippie!!!! *watches chipmunk go into attack mode* Hey, you're right, this does relief stress and insanity. MWAHAhahahaha!!!!**

**SquirrelOfShadows****: Mine, all mine. But at least you still have Naruto *sucker!!* Go bully your mean big bro until he hooks you up with more Naruto.  Cathc you next chappie, good luck with ****My Immortal.**

**Three A's, a C, and PDBF: **I like dealing with deeper themes. Can you guess were Kai's bloodline traces back to? Good luck!

**Cosmos angel: ***laughs* I'm glad you like. Everyone wonders if I'm going to kill Kai, so I did. Now, let's see how long he can live!

**Othela****: *laughs* Great minds think alike. Poor Kai! He's so tortured, doesn't anybody love him!?!?!**

**Fey Phantom: ***giggles* Damn, didn't fool you for a minute, huh. Well, I did, but you don't know it yet. Tune in next chappie ^_^  Hey! I love water polo too, but I don't like playing 'by the rules' we call it 'jungle ball'. No rules, but get it in the goal. I'm a big time swimmer, love it. I've been swimming on a swim team since I was 4. Which strokes are your favs? Anyways! Catch ya next chapter!!

Okay, that's it. Bring the Sun if it is warranted

Next Chapter **Guilty of the Same Things**


	15. Guilty of the Same Things

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, especially not the angry reviewers who are pissed off because of the long wait.

Warning: Violence, violence, more violence. Some blood and expletives. Not the norm, but hopefully well-done.

Author's Note: *giggles* I sure hope this is action-packed enough for you guys. I did break up the forewarned violence with some plot development and some flashbacks. I'm afraid I still have a lot of info to cover, but it probably makes it look like I'm just creating more confusion. Oh well, it's fun either way ^_~

*^*^*^*^*^*^Please take note!!!!!!! 

I had a couple reviewers tell me they had trouble picturing the blue flames on Kai's chest. LaDiNi has been so nice and worked patiently with me to develop a picture of Kai. I claim no credit for this. LaDiNi is quite a fantastic artist (sadly I have no skills in this area). I'm afraid I don't have a webpage, being computer-stupid, but if anyone requests, I will send you this pic via email. It's a wonderfully tortured pic with Kai dangling from the chains in his cell with his shirt off (so you can see the flames, come' on people, get your minds out of the gutter!) So please, if anyone wants to see what I described, just ask in a review or you can email me. Please be kind. If I send you this pic, I expect you to give LaDiNi all the credit she deserves for her hard work. She is the artist!

I promise, if you ask, I will send!

Now, on to the story!!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XV: Guilty of the Same Things**

Hedeon's fist blurred towards Kai, aiming for his head. But despite the suddenness of the attack, Kai had anticipated it and was already moving to avoid the blow. Kai knew that in his weakened state he was no match for the larger man, but he was determined not to give in. He felt his heart pounding, his pulse racing. The mixture of natural adrenaline and the epinephrine that the scientists had injected him with boosted his energy and allowed him to react faster than he should have been able to. 

Kai dodge quickly to the left, leaving the fist to strike at the empty air were his head had been. Unfortunately, despite his energy boost, Kai found that he still lacked anything approaching his normal strength. Overbalanced, he found himself falling away from his enemy. Only years of harsh training allowed Kai to compensate and turn the fall into a tuck and roll. He came to his feet in a crouch a short distance from the portrait, his hands defensively up in front of him.

_Damn! I know can't beat him head-on, he's too strong for me right now. If he gets hold of me, it's all over. I have to stay out of reach and look for a tactical advantage. _

Kai's head swung up searching for Hedeon, his mind working furiously to anticipate from which direction the next attack would come. He froze when he saw the scarred man standing calmly in the spot he had just vacated. The man's posture was relaxed as he gazed up at the portrait.

"Amazing to think that someone like Voltaire is capable of love, isn't it Kai? He certainly never showed you any, did he. I know he didn't love Lady Marya or her mother."

Kai stood slowly, suspicious of Hedeon's lack of attack. His body remained tense as he studied his opponent trying to determine what he was planning. _He must be trying to distract me. Confuse me. I have to stay sharp._

"You never knew anything about your mother, you never wanted to," Hedeon continued, seemingly lost in his thoughts. "You were given the opportunity to know your mother, something she never had, and you wasted it. Voltaire told her that her mother died giving birth to her, but I know the truth, I was there the day she was born."

Kai kept his eyes on Hedeon, but subtly shifted his stance. Seeing the man lost in his memories, Kai slowly started to edge around the room heading for the door. He allowed Hedeon's words to wash past him, not paying much attention to the actual content. _I guess I was right about his weakness. He's focused completely on my mother, he's lost track of me._

"My family has served the Voltaire family for generations, long before he betrayed his family and took his mother's name." Hedeon continued talking, seemingly unaware of Kai's silent movement. "I remember when Voltaire brought Lady Hotaru to the manor to live. She was beautiful, more so even than his mother, Lady Kuraiko. But she always seemed so sad. She had a lovely voice, the few times I heard her speak."

Kai continued to move silently away from Hedeon. He felt his lips turn up in his characteristic smirk as he studied the relaxed posture of the man before the portrait. _Hn. Idiot. And he says I've let myself be ruled by emotion. That fool doesn't even realize that I'm halfway out of here._

"On the day Lady Marya was born, I was hiding in the shadows while my mother attended Lady Hotaru." Hedeon's voice grew softer as he fell further into his memories. "I still remember what she said after she gave birth to Lady Marya. She watched as Lord Voltaire took his daughter and then she begged, 'Please, you have what you wanted. Please let me go. I want to go home.'"

Kai almost stumbled as the meaning of what Hedeon was saying penetrated. _Grandfather kept her captive? _

"That's when he killed her."

Hedeon paused in his story and quietly asked, "You don't actually think you can get away from me, do you?"

Cold, black eyes met Kai's dark rubies as Hedeon turned slowly to face him. _Shit. He knew what I was doing all along. He was just playing with me._

Kai turned and made a desperate sprint for the exit, hoping he would get through before Hedeon could reach him. He felt Hedeon's dark presence behind him even before he felt the sudden blow. Aiming to injure, the cruel man had kicked down on the back of Kai's leg causing him to fall hard to the floor. Kai rolled away, avoiding Hedeon's attempt to stomp down on his back. But he wasn't able to avoid the kick that followed. A sharp cry of pain escaped his lips as his breath was knocked from him. He heard the unmistakable sound of raw-edged bone grating across bone as Hedeon elicited another cry of pain with a second kick to his side. His vision started going black as Hedeon stepped down on his chest.

"You're hopeless. Haven't you learned yet that you can't beat me?"

***flashback*** 

Muttered curses bounced off the stone walls as the handsome blonde lay holding tightly to his injured knee. The small form of a young boy stood a short distance away, grinning triumphantly at his downed opponent.

"You should have known, Gavriil, it was only a matter of time before I got better than you."

A soft moan was the boy's only answer. Kai enjoyed his moment of triumph. After all, he had worked very hard for it. In the past few months of training, his sessions with Gavriil had almost always ended the same. Most times he would return to his room, battered and bleeding, to dress his wounds and prepare for the next day's training. Sometimes, after the more intense training sessions, he would wake up in his room the next day in agony. Kai almost preferred when Gavriil beat him into unconsciousness because he knew that when he awoke Nadya would be there. His grandfather allowed her to attend to him when he was badly injured. It was the only consideration that he showed his grandson.

As the training, and consequentially the beatings, from Gavriil had increased in intensity, Kai became more and more determined that he would win against the cruel man. Late in the evenings he began training alone in his room. He pushed himself hard. Training even when his body was crying out in pain or wanting nothing but sleep. And tonight, as Kai approached Gavriil where he lay writhing in pain, he knew that he had finally succeeded. 

"Well, Gavriil, looks like I don't need your training anymore. Guess I'll tell Mother that you have nothing more to teach me."

Kai stood smirking down at Gavriil, eager to hear the man admit defeat. His dark gray eyes stared down at the man he had learned hatred from. The hatred in his eyes was quickly overwhelmed by fear when Gavriil looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm surprised Kai, you've gotten better."

With a quick twist, Gavriil scissor-kicked Kai's legs out from under him. A brutal fist landed on his stomach and would have knocked the wind out of him if the fall hadn't already. Kai lay momentarily stunned as Gavriil rose to his feet wiping the blood from his chin.

"But there is still so much that I need to teach you."

Kai had rolled onto his stomach, pushing up to his hands and knees. As he looked up at Gavriil, his eyes showed his surprise. His master plan had not worked. He had all the confidence of his eight years and just couldn't understand how the older man hadn't fallen to his strategy.

"That's not a good defensive posture, Kai."

Gavriil brought his fist smashing down against Kai's upturned face. The small boy went down hard under his blow, blood running down his face from a new wound on his forehead.  Gavriil's beautiful face was twisted by his brutal smile. He had known of Kai's private training and had decided to play along with the child's scheme. He knew that there was nothing that was as painful as when a person's hope was ripped away. Now he intended to enjoy taking away any last shred of hope the young boy was still clinging to.

"Your mother would be quite disappointed in you. You have learned so little about defense."

Gavriil took advantage again at Kai's attempt to push himself up, his leg sweeping in to connect with the boy's side. Kai's small body was flung into the stone wall behind him, the sharp crack of breaking bones echoing through the room. The young boy lay still for a long time before he once again tried to push himself to his feet.

Kai was unable to suppress the sharp cry of pain as his right arm failed him. It had been broken by its impact with the stones and now it refused to support him. Gavriil made no move toward his pupil, he only watched, smiling, as the boy pulled himself up with his left arm. Kai stood trembling, using the wall to steady himself. The blonde man started laughing as he watch Kai shift into a defensive stance with his left arm placed before him in a blocking move, his right arm dangling uselessly at his side.

"You're hopeless. Do you really think you can stand against me?"

 Gavriil swiftly closed the distance between them, aiming a blow at Kai's abdomen. He was surprised when Kai blocked his fist and countered with a leg sweep. Jumping back, Gavriil evaded Kai's sweep and moved in again, feinting for Kai's face. Unfortunately for Kai, he fell for the ruse. Gavriil quickly shifted his focus and grabbed Kai's right arm. Kai screamed in agony as his damaged arm was twisted in the strong man's grip. The pain overwhelmed him and he was unable to stop the onslaught of blows that Gavriil rained down on him. He felt himself falling into darkness, light and sound becoming more distant. He barely remained conscious to hear Gavriil taunting him.

"Haven't you learned yet that you can't beat me?"

***end flashback***

_No. I will beat him!_

Kai fought against the darkness that was trying to claim him and grabbed the foot that was pressing down cruelly on his chest. Twisting it to put pressure on both ankle and knee, he managed to force Hedeon away. He heard the loud thump as his opponent fell to the floor, but Kai didn't bother to look, he was already moving away. He came swiftly to his feet, trying to control the cough that threatened to steal his breath. Feeling a burning pain in his chest, he wondered irrationally if the blue flame on his chest might actually be real. Looking down, he was oddly comforted to see the growing red stain on his bandages as the sutures underneath were stretched and torn. He turned his crimson eyes at the devil climbing to his feet in front of him, their flames growing darker with his hatred.

"Kisama! You may have a different name, but you're still the same evil monster that you always were, Gavriil."

Dark laughter greeted this as Hedeon circled around Kai.

"So you do remember me. I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten all the time we spent together."

"No, unfortunately, I remember it all," Kai eyes narrowed as he searched for any sign of weakness in his enemy. "You were Mother's lapdog."

Hedeon abruptly stopped his wary circling and moved in for a direct attack. He sent a high kick at Kai's shoulder, but Kai managed to dodge back in time. The crimson eyed blader gabbed a nearby chair, tossing it in front of Hedeon's mad rush. The scarred man stumbled against the chair, giving Kai the time he needed to create more space between them. Kai continued searching the room, looking for anything he could use against his opponent.

"I will not allow you to use that tone when you speak about your mother," Hedeon growled, tossing the chair aside. "Despite your grandfather, despite everything she went through because of you, she loved you."

"How dare you!" Kai yelled in fury at the lies the devil before him was speaking. "She never loved me. She only hurt me, and when she wasn't inflicting pain, she gave the job to you."

Grabbing a vase off the table next to him, Kai threw it at Hedeon's head. It was a crude distraction at best, but Kai was willing to use anything at this point. As Hedeon ducked under the flying crystal, he moved again towards the exit. Hedeon was in front of him before he took three steps. Kai was tiring fast and was unable to avoid the blow he saw coming. The table behind him groaned in protest as he crashed onto it as a result of the cruel man backhanding him. Hedeon grabbed his arm and dragged him off the table, leaving a large blood smear marring the polished surface. The trail of red matched the fire in burning in his eyes.

"I have watched over your mother since she was born! I saw her father treat her as nothing more than a means to an end, a means to get you. He never loved her, he only used her. He forced her to learn Japanese. He forced her to spend her summers in the chateau. And when she was only 15, he forced her to give herself to someone who never deserved her!"

Hedeon rained blows down on Kai's back and legs as he continued to scream at him. Kai felt his shoulder screaming in protest as Hedeon twisted his arm farther behind him. His normally impassive mask twisted with pain as he endured the verbal and physical onslaught from above.

"Voltaire had informed her when she was still very young what her duty to him was, but, despite her so-called duty, she never wanted you!" Hedeon screamed. "However, after you were born she wanted to hold you, to raise you. Voltaire wouldn't allow it. He took you from her and gave you to that bitch to raise you."

Kai's eyes flew wide as he heard Hedeon speak so vilely of Nadya. He felt the flames in him gain strength as his fury grew.

"Don't you ever call her that!"

Kai twisted in Hedeon's grip, forcibly dislocating his own shoulder. Though he lost the use of his arm, it allowed him to gain enough maneuverability to strike up at Hedeon. His fist slammed into Hedeon's face, startling the scarred man into loosening his grip. Once free from his captor, Kai allowed his rage to take over. He knew he should act defensively and search for an escape, but the hatred within pushed him to attack. He closed in on Hedeon, aiming kicks and fists at the man's abdomen, neck, and face.

"Liar! My mother never loved me!" Kai shouted in defiance. 

Kai struck out at his enemy, throwing all his anger and denial into his blows. Hedeon retreated before the ferocious onslaught, his surprise at the boy's sudden attack slowing his reactions.

"She couldn't have…"

Blood was beginning to decorate the man's face and body as the hail of blows continued to fall. He stumbled slightly on the edge of one of the large chairs as he tried vainly to evade the lighting fast blows. Catching himself before he could fall, he looked up in time to see the hard, knife-edge blow of Kai's right hand lash out to strike him in the throat. Eyes wide, Hedeon fell as his air supply was suddenly interrupted. Kai didn't make any attempt to stop his own forward momentum and fell on top of his downed opponent. He continued to strike out at the fallen man gasping for breath below him.

"If she did…"

***flashback***

"I do not ever want to hear you speak in that language again. Not to me, not to anyone. If I find out that you have, you will be punished."

The tall, dark eyed woman glared at the trembling child that dangled helplessly in her grip. The boy was so shocked and terrified that he was unable to respond. Tears raced down his cheeks to fall on uncaring hands.

_Why? Why does she hate me? Nadya said she loved me. Why did Nadya lie to me?_

----------------------

Kai crouched outside his grandfather's door, his small hands covering his ears. He had come as his grandfather had requested, but before he could go in, he heard shouting and screaming. Because Voltaire had instructed him to come Kai couldn't run away like he so desperately wanted to, but he was too terrified to enter a room so filled with rage. He was so tired and he already hurt so much. His lessons with Gavriil had just begun and his new wounds were far from healing. In his fear and pain, all he could do was try to avoid being noticed. He crouched down into a little ball, closing his eyes and covering his ears.

It didn't help. He could still hear the cries from inside. After what seemed like an eternity to him, all the noise behind the door stopped. He felt soft silk brush past him as someone ran by. Looking up, he glimpsed a ragged skirt and a flash of long, blue hair disappearing around the distant corner.

------------------------

Kai reached up to touch his red cheek, he felt the sting and warmth pulsing from were he had been slapped.

"I do not want you wasting your summers with that cretin. There are far better things you can do with your time."

The time was long past when Kai gave in passively to what his family wanted. He had taken to heart his friend's advice to try to keep the darkness out. And while he knew enough to pick his battles, this was one worth fighting for.

"I will go back to Japan this summer. I will see Ran again. And there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Kai stared up defiantly at his mother, daring her to try to stop him. _She can't stop me. Grandfather made me a promise and she can't do anything about it._

------------------------

Groaning, Kai rolled over in his bed. Fever raged in his body and each movement seemed to aggravate another wound. He wandered in and out of awareness. The brief moments when he was lucid showed him that he was in his room at the abbey, but this knowledge did nothing to comfort him.

Shifting again, he couldn't stop the cry of pain as he turned and put pressure on the left side of his back. He felt a starburst of pain radiating out from his shoulder blade. Clenching his teeth, Kai willed the pain to recede.

A cool hand caressed his tender cheek, bringing with it a soft, wet cloth to bathe his hot forehead. A quiet sigh escaped him as Kai found something besides pain to focus on. He reached out with a trembling hand to touch the gentle hand on his face.

_Thank God. Nadya, it hurts so much. I'm so happy you're here, I needed you so much. Everything hurts. Why? Why does my heart hurt? Nadya? But it can't…_

Pain filled eyes looked up, searching the dark, shadowed room for the one he wished most to see. Kai's vision started to dim as the pain started to overwhelm him again, but not before he looked into the concerned eyes watching over him.

_green eyes..._

***end flashback***

"If she did…"

The angry torrent of words started to slow. Kai's blows seemed lose their accuracy and strength, most glancing off the man below him instead of dealing any damage. As Hedeon found each strike easier to block, he looked up to see the confusion emanating from the slate haired blader. He felt a smile at his lips as he noticed the disadvantage the furious blader had given himself. While he remained kneeling over Hedeon, Kai was unable to attack with his legs. This meant that, because his left arm was dislocated and useless, he could only strike out with his right arm. Hedeon blocked Kai's next attack easily and readied himself to finish the fight.

"She did." 

Hedeon watched as the two words had the desired effect. Kai reared up away from him, clutching at his injured arm and shaking his head in denial. Hedeon's feral smile showed grotesquely on his face as he brought his fist crashing into the side of Kai's head. Kai fell, without a sound, his eyes glazed with shock.

_She couldn't have loved me. If she did… then I did betray her._

-----------tbc

*bows low*

Sorry everyone, I've been offline for a while and haven't had time to do anything for **World So Cold**. I hope this chapter lives up to the high Kai-torture demand. The poor boy is definitely getting the s*** beat out of him in this story, ne? How many of you believed I'd let him win that fight? I was nice and let him pound on Hedeon for a while. I sure hope he worked out some of his frustration.

*laughs* Obviously you can tell from my story that I am enjoying the interaction between Hedeon and Kai. I have to admit that Boris bores me completely, hence a completely created character to torment our bishie Kai. Again, I don't believe that anyone is born evil, so I'm having fun creating Hedeon's darkness. 

I was talking with some friends once about what the most powerful emotion was. What do you guys think it is? Some of my friends said hate, some anger. I personally believe it's love. Okay, okay, settle down, no groaning at the obvious corniness that is me. Hear me out first. If you don't have an emotional attachment to someone, you can't have any of the other emotions. Love defines our grief, our rage, our happiness. Just think, if you didn't care anything about someone, how could you really get mad at them? I know this seems like I've gone off on a wild tangent, but I really do have a point with this….

*searches pockets* What was it again….Oh yeah, Hedeon's rage and darkness comes from the love and pain he felt for Kai's mother. His strong hatred of Kai is significant of how strong his love for Marya was. I hope I portrayed this well in the story, but in case I didn't I thought I'd be redundant and point it out.

Special Thanks to: (*_* wow, so many pretty reviewers!)

**Kai the ruthless blader:** *laughs* I guess reading this while watching beyblade is pretty cool. Just as long as it doesn't distract you too much ^_~ I think it'll be more a matter of Kai finding them.

**Kai baby-girl:** *smiles gleefully* Yeah!! Another swimmer!!! My strokes have always been fly, back (sorry Fey Phantom), and long distance free. I'm not from England, but I always thought it would be fun to swim the English Channel. *sighs* maybe some day. You're very clever, you caught my red herring for what it was. Hedeon is definitely not Kai's father. But if he's not, who could it be? 

**SS2 Megami-sama:** *joins Falcon in joyous dance* I think I'll name it Steve! *giggles* Couldn't resist. I must say, I've never heard of a kitchen rapier, but I'll join you for fencing practice anytime. Let me just get my handy-dandy bottle opener *whispers* I call him 'Spike'

**LaDiNi:** *waves* Hi Di!! Don't worry about me beating up on myself, that's what I have Kai for ^_~ Thanks for all the help, you are Great!!!!!!!!!! Now go update your own story!

**Frostt:** Don't worry Frostt, you just toasted my toes. Just kidding. I'm fine as long as I don't get frostbitten!! ^_~

**Three As, a c, and PDBF:** No!!! Not Takao and Max!!!! Anything but that!!. Hey, a starving author's got to eat, so if you unleash those on me, I won't be starving, I'll be starved. And remember, a dead write can't write. I promise, I will finish (sooner or later)

**Fey Phantom:** I'll have you know, that while I've made alterations is how I get there, the story's plot has never altered. Trust me. Really…no, really. As far as swimming, I absolutely love fly. Breast is actually my worst stroke (I had surgery on my knee and the kick can hurt). I also love water polo, the best is when you play against non-swimmers (it's so mean I know). Anyone who doesn't swim, thinks it's so easy. When you play against them, you have to be careful not to actually hurt anyone *laughs evilly* So fun!! I'm glad you are enjoying my story, I am making it pretty complex on purpose, so it does mean some slower, info chapters. I'm very happy that my chapters make you want to scream (that is a good thing, ne?) I hope this one makes you scream (for joy, not pain) ^_~

**Cherrii:** Poor Ra, still can't fly! Guess you need more practice *MWAhahahaha*

**Sullen Seeker:** *whispers* I promise I won't tell a soul, but you better look behind you because I think ID is catching up fast! Glad you are enjoying, I'm definitely having fun with this deep song!

**Cosmos Angel:** Well, hope that answers your question. Nope, Kai won't beat Hedeon, but he did get to beat on him ^_^

**KaiKurtRavenWizy:** Sorry, there are no ticket refunds on the Kai Torture Express. Once your on, you can NEVER GET OFF!!!! *MWAhahahaha* Ahem, sorry about that. Feel free to jump from this moving train at any time, I hear the conductor is quite nuts @_@

**Identity Thief:** I'd wish you luck, but if you kill her, I'll have one less reviewer *pompoms out* Go Sullen Seeker!!! Run!!! *giggles* thanks for the review, as you can see, the Kai torture continues.

**SquirrelOfShadows:** there,there. I'm sure ff.net doesn't hate you. It was a short chapter. I'm afraid if I don't like where I'm going, sometimes I just get the info out that I need to and then cut it off. I'm torturing Kai after all, not you guys!

**Riece:** Wow, if you were flinching before, I hate to see what you did with this chapter. I admit to cringing several times myself while I was writing it. As far as writing fics for the other 'Breakers, I'm not sure if I could. They're just too happy, I think I would ruin them if I tried angst (which is mostly what I do). Well, see where the future takes me, you never know.

**DragonBlade:** I hope the fighting was done okay. It was a bit hard. It definitely hurt to write it, but I don't know if that's a good sign or a bad sign.

**Child of Stars:** Hi, I'm Haruka, and you are? Okay, let's see if I have this straight…hurt Kai…but don't kill Kai….I think I have it down (hope I remember this). *smiles happily* Hi, I'm Haruka, and you are?

**Dark-pheonix-gurl:** Thanks for the praise, sorry for the wait! Hope you enjoyed!

**The Fire-breathing-ferret:** *giggles* Empty threats mean nothing *Ha Ha Ha* I know if you kill me, you won't get anymore chapters. *cackles insanely* It's a cold, cruel world, ne?

**Finaleternity:** Thanks so much! You give great praise (and you put me on fav authors list) I'm so happy. I'm glad you feel Kai is in character. He's such a beautiful, tortured soul, I would be heart-broken if I screwed him up.

**Buggasnot:** Glad you like it so far. I'm afraid there are no guarantees about chapter length. I write until I cover the info I need to and I find a good stopping point. I'll try to make them longer, but no promises.

**Shinigami's Voice:** *dances happily* You came!! Hey everyone, look, it's the God of Death (hmm…that's probably not usually said with joy, ne?) I'm glad you found my fic. I absolutely adore yours. Remember you, please!!! I wasn't sure about trying a beyblade fic, but I enjoyed your **Staring Into Scarlet Eyes Arch** so much I decided to give it a shot. I will definitely check out your fb update. I just want to post this before the fire-breathing-ferret tracks me down and kills me. I promise I'm coming. I hope everything is going well for you. I unashamedly demand updates for awesome stories like yours. *giggles* I actually wondered if my fic would attract your attention. (so silly).

**The Dude:** *laughs* Just let me know if you have trouble with that pesky dictionary, I'll help you out the best that I can. I know a plethora (*smiles proudly* SAT word) of words and their meanings. And don't worry about having an inner insane self, it could be worse. I keep my sane self inside, you guys are subjected to my insane self on the outside. Boy do I feel bad for you! ^_~

*yawns*

I really need to be better about updating. When I take too long, I feel guilty and stay up way to late! *it's 5:30 in the morning!* I gotta go get some sleep. Please excuse any spelling mistakes.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to bring a little light, I can sleep through anything. Bring the Sun!

BTW the next chapter should be **Provoked by the Cause**


	16. Provoked by the Cause

Disclaimer: I would never claim credit for the marvelous anime, characters, or song that I am having so much fun with. And I'm sure everyone out there is glad, who knows what my demented mind would have created.

Warning: A little physical trauma and some nice fun emotional trauma. Hmmm, I think there's some swearing, too. Oh well, you'll find out soon enough.

Author's note: I said it before, and I'll say it again. I am taking liberties with Kai's known past. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. *whispers conspiratorially* I admit to liking this chapter, I finally get to start explaining things ^_^

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XVI: Provoked by the Cause**

_Twilight._

Rei had heard it called the witching hour and he whole-heartedly agreed that it was definitely a time when strange things happened. Time always seemed to stop in the odd half-light that marked neither day nor night. The world was lit by only a faint echo of light. A light so dim that rather than revealing the richness of Rei's surroundings, it seemed instead to leech all the color from around him. The world was painted in the various shades of the shadows. 

Unable to sleep, Rei had remained outside training as one by one the others allowed sleep to overtake them. But no matter how many times he launched Driger, he was unable to reach the meditative calm that had always come to him through his bond with his bit beast. It was only in the last hour that he had given up and sat quietly to watch the night fade.

The gray world did nothing to ease his troubled mind. His talk with Kai, the warm voice of Dranzer, his fear for his friend, all his concerns swirled up to smother him in a maelstrom of emotions. Rei needed to talk with a friend, someone who could help him find some answers.

Unfolding himself from where he was sitting on the porch outside the dojo, Rei silently slid open the door to peek inside. A soft rumble greeted his ears and brought a wan smile to his face. _Takao's snoring is like a sign of normalcy._

Looking around the room he saw two silent lumps draped in blankets and one carefree snoring boy tangled on top of a third blanket. Rei was glad that his friends were sleeping, they had all been so troubled lately, but he had hoped someone would still be awake to talk to. As he turned to leave the slumbering boys, a flash of red in the overwhelming gray caught his eye.

Crimson flames danced on Dizzi's screen, drawing Rei towards the warm light. Quietly, so as not to disturb the others, he picked up the laptop and adjoined blade and carried it outside into the cool night air. Closing the door, Rei knelt down in front of the burning screen.

"Dranzer?" The soft voice seemed almost timid as Rei addressed the laptop.

The dark flames brightened and twisted to form the ring of fire that Rei and the others had seen before. Rei leaned in towards the screen, finding that the flames seemed to warm his heart even though they carried no real heat.

"Yes, little tiger? What is wrong?"

At the compassionate tone coming from the speaker, Rei suddenly felt unsure about the question that had been plaguing him. A small frown drifted across his face as he tried to figure the best way to phrase his concerns.

"I'm not sure if I'm going to say this right, but there's something that's really been bothering me…"

The phoenix was quite patient, most likely due to his deep bond with his reticent partner. The flames continued to flow in a calming pattern as the Dranzer waited for Rei to continue.

"How long have you been bonded with Kai?" 

"All my life," came the quick reply.

"Before..," Rei's voice broke and he found he had to clear his throat before he could continue. "Before Kai was taken, he said some things that I just can't get out of my mind. He told me that he had hurt and betrayed many people, that he had even killed people. I just don't believe it. I can't claim to know everything about Kai, he has always been so guarded around us, but in the time that I've known him, he has never hurt anyone."

Rei's voice had started so strong, but by the end of his speech it had faded into uncertainty. He couldn't help but feel that he was not being loyal to his friend by even entertaining the idea that Kai would hurt anyone. The barely audible whisper was easily picked up by the laptop as Rei continued.

"His eyes seemed so sad that night. If he truly killed someone, we would have known it right? He wouldn't have been able to hide his sorrow over it. He would have betrayed himself long ago to us. Right?"

Rei looked eagerly at the screen waiting to hear Dranzer tell him that 'of course, Kai never killed anyone. That Kai was just being dramatic.' _But Kai doesn't do drama, he's always serious and I've never caught him in a lie._

The silence lengthened as Rei sat waiting for an answer, any answer. But as time passed, a growing sense of foreboding filled him. He was about ready to get up and shake the damn laptop when Dranzer's resonant voice finally filled the silence.

"I'm afraid things are never that simple, little tiger. Most especially when it concerns Kai."

Rei leaned back, uncertain how to take the beast's reply. _At least he didn't say Kai had killed someone._

"Kai has always been very serious about responsibility. And he feels that he is responsible for anyone that he cares about. Therefore, if someone he cares for is hurt, he feels that it must have been caused by something he did or failed to do. I've tried to reassure him that sometimes there is nothing that can be done, but he doesn't truly believe that."

"So when he said that he hurt and killed someone, he was just blaming himself for something he had no control over?"

"You are still looking for an easy answer, little tiger. Kai is also someone who understands that there are consequences to all actions. Whether for good or evil, Kai has caused harm to others. He will have to learn to accept his past and move forward."

"But why didn't he ever tell me…tell us? We could have helped him deal with it. He shouldn't have to bear it all alone."

"He did not talk with you before because it is something that he has not had to deal with until just recently."

Rei felt his confusion growing with each answer Dranzer gave him. He was frustrated and more than a little angry that he couldn't seem to get a straight answer from the bit beast.

"Are you talking in circles on purpose? I know Kai hasn't hurt anyone recently, he's been with us the whole time. Why can't you just tell me what happened?"

"I'm sorry," the screen dimmed as an almost imperceptible sigh came from the speakers. "I don't mean to upset you. Please understand, it is difficult to express what happened. At the most crucial time, the time Kai really needed me, I was too young to be able to do much. I was just learning about my environment so my perceptions were different then. If you will allow me, I will show you what happened."

Rei nodded mutely, willing to do anything at this point to find just a glimmer of understanding. He focused on the laptop before him watching as the flames grew larger, filling the screen in a strangely hypnotic dance. He felt himself drawn to the flames, felt their heat embracing him. All the confusing emotions that had shrouded him were burned away in bright crimson flames and he found his soul was calm. His eyelids fell slowly, resting briefly before opening again to see the world anew.

-------------------

A crackling fire greeted Rei's eyes as they opened again and he realized that it was the source of the heat he felt. He was kneeling down close to the fire watching the hypnotic flames dance. An odd feeling of vertigo passed through him as he suddenly found himself looking at the silhouette of a boy kneeling before a fireplace. He somehow knew that he was both the boy before the flames and the observer both at the same time. 

The conflict between the two perspectives was nothing compared to the conflicting echoes of emotions that pulsed through him. Fear, confusion, wonder, grief, and a wild sense of abandon flowed through him, only to be overwhelmed by a surge of raw fury. It was too deep, too intense. He felt like he was being pulled under by a strong current in a raging river. Rei struggled against the anger only to find himself being pulled deeper into it. 

_I'm sorry, little tiger. I will close the bond in my memory._

Cool words filled Rei's thoughts as the rage was abruptly cut off. He felt immediate relief as the discordant visions and emotions cleared. No longer the boy kneeling before the flames, Rei found he was only the silent observer.

Rei studied the boy. The warm light flickered across the boy's form, bringing glimpses of him in and out of the shadows. The boy seemed to be around ten or eleven years old. He was kneeling in front of the fire, his head bowed and his dark blue hair falling forward to hide his face. In the fire's shifting light, Rei was surprised to see the red glow twisting across a strange blue flame that seemed to be frozen on the boy's bare chest. The red light and blue flame seemed to be fighting for possession of the silent boy.

As Rei watched, the boy reached towards the fire to grasp something at its edge. As the object was pulled from the flames, Rei saw it was a pair of needle-nose pliers, something that all bladers used in their repair kits. The boy held the red-hot pliers with a small polishing cloth and brought them up before his eyes. Dark gray eyes contemplated the hot metal instrument before him. 

Even though Rei was expecting it, he was still surprised to see the boy's face. _I know that's Kai, but it's all wrong somehow. His hair, his eyes, that weird flame tattoo. It's all wrong._

Without looking away from the flames, Kai grasped the silver wire around his neck and clamped the pliers down on it. Rei flinched at how close the super-hot tool was to Kai's neck, if he slipped he would do serious damage to himself. After a few minutes, Kai dropped the pliers to the floor and grabbed the locket tightly in his hand. With a quick yank, he tore the locket off, leaving the chain dangling from his hand and the blood trailing from his neck. Kai pushed himself up and turned away from the fire.

"Never again."

As Kai strode quickly from the room, Rei seemed to float alongside him. Rei worried about his friend. He had felt the anger that was raging through Kai, it had been stronger than anything Rei had experienced before and he didn't know what Kai would do with that rage. He tried to reach toward his friend, tried to find some way to show him he wasn't alone, but Kai walked on completely unaware of his presence.

_Little tiger, though this feels real, this is merely a memory. You cannot affect anything here. You can only watch and try to understand._

Rei understood this, but he didn't like it. He turned his attention again to Kai and his surroundings. He realized now that they were in the cold, stone halls deep within the abbey in Russia. Kai stopped before a closed door, and without knocking, pushed it open. 

As Kai entered, Rei saw a slender woman rise from a chair on the far side of the room. Rei studied her with fascination, he knew that this must be Kai's mother. The woman was very beautiful, she had the same heart-shaped face that Kai did and long, deep-blue hair that fell almost to her knees. She stood arrogantly before Kai with her arms crossed at her chest, her hard, silver eyes staring down at him. Kai unflinchingly met her cold gaze.

"I know I have taught you better manners than that, my son."

"You taught me nothing." 

Rei was surprised to hear how flat and unemotional Kai's voice was. It betrayed nothing of what Kai was feeling inside. Kai's mother crossed the room to stand directly before him and Rei was stunned to see her draw back and slap him, the sharp crack echoing in the room. But even with this provocation, Kai did nothing. He stood mutely in place, his head turned slightly away by the force of her blow.

"You will not speak in such a manner to me. I am your mother."

Rei held his breath, waiting for the moment that he had been dreading. He needed to see the truth, but he did not want to see Kai release his pent up fury. _I don't want to see_ _Kai kill his mother._

Kai turned his head up to glare at his mother and slowly brought his fist up between them. She seemed surprised at his defiance, she looked down with disbelief at his tightly clenched hand. Her elegant face paled when she notice the bloody ends of the silver chain swinging from his fist. Kai opened his hand, allowing the locket and chain to fall to the floor, and stared defiantly into his mother's eyes.

"You are nothing to me."

Kai turned away from the woman he had once called mother and left the room. He did not see her fall to her knees beside the abandoned locket. Nor did he sees her tears fall as her protective cloak of arrogance shattered. Kai saw none of this as he let the door close behind him, but Rei did.

Kai returned to the path he had been walking before he turned into his mother's room. Rei continued to follow beside him, almost shaking with relief that Kai had left his mother unharmed. His relief didn't last long as Kai's journey ended at an electronically locked security door. 

"I know you see me, Grandfather."

Rei was confused when Kai spoke softly to the door in front of him. The door opened for him and Rei heard a deep chuckle from inside the room. As Kai entered, Rei took the opportunity to look around the room. It seemed to be some sort of lab, with machines and tools scattered about it. Voltaire was standing at a table in the center of the room next to a small glass dome. Rei could see movement from within the dome, but he couldn't quite make out what was inside.

"Kai, I'm proud of you," Voltaire smiled at his grandson, and gestured to the dome before him. "You have exceeded my expectations. And despite our setback, I now have an even stronger spirit to use."

At this gesture, Kai stepped forward to look into the dome. Rei stayed by his side and looked down as well. He felt a chill crawl up his spine as he recognized the sinister blade that held Black Dranzer.

"You're wrong, Grandfather," Rei watched as Kai's dark eyes met his Grandfather's black ones across the spinning blade.

Voltaire just laughed at Kai's reply and returned to gloating over the spinning blade. Rei could feel the anger growing Kai and noticed his dark eyes took on an unnatural light. A dark chuckle laced through the older man's laughter, soft at first, but steadily growing stronger. Rei looked over to the unanticipated sight of Kai laughing. Rei wasn't the only one to notice, Voltaire's laughter died off as he also looked up at Kai.

"And just why are you laughing?" Voltaire seemed uneasy at the way Kai was looking at him.

"I'm laughing because you have failed miserably and don't even know it," Kai smiled at the snarl he had elicited from his Grandfather before he continued. "Despite all your scheming, there is no chance of your plan succeeding."

Rei winced as Voltaire responded to Kai's outburst by backhanding him. Kai did not attempt to block the blow and fell to the floor. Moving to stand in front of Kai, Rei tried to find a way to help his friend. Voltaire stepped through Rei's protesting form and stood over Kai.__

_There is nothing we can do, little tiger. You will only cause yourself more distress if you try._

Rei understood what Dranzer was telling him, but it didn't help the anger building in him. He felt like all he ever seemed to do for Kai was fail him.

"You used me," Kai's voice was soft, but clear. "I didn't even see it at first, but all I was to you was bait. You thought you could use me to claim the phoenix for yourself."

"Of course," Voltaire laughed at this, "you are nothing but a tool. And one that I'm proud to say, I used well. For you see, I do have the phoenix."

"That's where you're wrong," Kai looked up at his grandfather, Rei could see blood trailing from his split lip. "You couldn't claim the phoenix so you created that perversion of it. It's what you do to everything you touch. The sad thing is that you can't even control your own warped creation."

Voltaire's face twisted in a grimace at what he didn't want to acknowledge. Because he could not deny Kai's statement, he instead replied by lashing out to kick Kai. Rei couldn't understand why Kai was not blocking Voltaire's attacks. The kick caught him in the side and swept him several feet across the floor, but still he refused to respond to the violence.

"That's easily taken care of," Voltaire smiled, "I do control you after all."

"No, Grandfather," Kai pushed himself up to stand proudly erect. "You may have controlled me in the past, but never again. I can see everything clearly now."

Rei flinched reflexively as Voltaire stepped forward and directed a punch at Kai's abdomen. This time however, Kai did react. He caught the fist before it could make contact. Kai's eyes turned up and Rei's breath caught in his throat when he saw that they burned with a deep crimson fire.

"You used Nadya to bait the hook." 

Kai swung his own fist into Voltaire's unprotected abdomen. 

"You set the stage and used my friendship with Ran to lure the phoenix." 

The punch was followed up with a high kick to the chest that sent Voltaire flying back to smash into the table. The glass dome was knocked off and fell to the floor in a shattering crash. The black blade that had been trapped inside, spun free and came to a stop at Kai's feet.

"I will not allow you to corrupt the very essence of their love and friendship."

Kai reached down to pick up the black blade. He faltered slightly as he touched it and Rei saw a dark miasma rise from the blade and begin to coil up Kai's arm. Rei didn't like what he saw and what he sensed was even more disturbing. He felt what he could only call an evil presence. It was very strong and very hungry. He wanted to cry out, to stop Kai from using Black Dranzer. Instead he was forced to watch as Kai readied the blade on his launcher.

"Nadya told me once that evil will always destroy itself. Let's see if she was right."

Rei could see the fear in Voltaire's eyes as he used the broken table to climb to his feet. Kai only looked at him with pitiless crimson eyes as he pulled the rip-cord.

"Go, Black Dranzer!"

The black blade was launched into the air and immediately released its black flames. The flames from the blade grew stronger even as Rei sensed the crimson flames in Kai growing weaker. Soon the fire was growing out of control and Rei realized that it would consume the entire abbey. He ran to Kai. He knew that Kai needed to escape now or he would also be trapped in the fire. Kai didn't even seem to be aware of his danger, his eyes were firmly locked on the black blade spinning fire into the room. 

_Kai! Kai!!!_

Rei knew Kai couldn't hear him, but it didn't stop him from trying to cry out for his friend's attention. His eyes searched the room for a way out. He felt his attention drawn to some movement in the smoke. Rei turned in time to see Voltaire crawl to the exit and escape the burning room. _That bastard, if anyone deserved to burn to death…_

A sharp cry of pain returned his attention to his friend. Kai's face twisted in a grimace of pain. Rei could see the fire in his eyes flickering erratically. 

_Kai! What's wrong with him?!?_

_It's Black Dranzer, little tiger. The bond that Kai and I share is pure. We share emotions, strength…, everything. But because of Black Dranzer's artificial creation, Black Dranzer is not whole and its bond is corrupt. It can not share because it has nothing it can call its own except for its hatred. It draws its strength from the one it is bonded to. Its hunger is overwhelming, as is its hatred. It will continue to feed off Kai until there is nothing left._

Rei watched in horror as Kai feel to his knees, his eyes closed in pain and his breathing becoming ragged. Waves of energy seemed to pulse from Kai, each new burst causing the flames to grow stronger. Before his eyes, Kai's midnight-blue hair began to turn gray. It started with just a few strands at his temples, but the continuing pulses of energy caused the effect to spread rapidly. Rei tried desperately one last time to reach toward his friend.

_Kai!!!!_

A large energy wave escaped Kai as he screamed in agony. The wave infused Black Dranzer and set off an explosion that blasted Rei off his feet. His sight dimmed and he felt consciousness slipping away from him. 

_Kai….Dranzer….._

----------------------

Rei's amber eyes opened to stare up at the bright dawn. He found himself lying on his back on the porch outside the dojo.

"Was it just a dream?"

"No, little tiger, though sometimes I wish it were."

Rei sat up to see Dranzer's flames dancing on Dizzi's screen.

"Do you understand now? Kai used Black Dranzer to destroy the abbey. Several people were unable to escape the flames, his mother was one of them."

"How did Kai escape?"

"Even though I was young and our bond was new, it was still a pure bond. I used the purity of that strength to forcibly cut the bond to Black Dranzer, but in the process I'm afraid I damaged Kai. All his memories were locked away deep inside. When I cut his bond, I accidentally severed his pathways to them. When I realized what I had done, I made another foolish mistake. I decided he was better off not remembering his painful past and so I did nothing to return those memories to him. His grandfather used that to his advantage and my mistakes only caused him more pain."

Rei could hear the regret that was carried in Dranzer's words and felt his own rising to meet it. He and the others had made so many assumptions about their team captain. Now that it was too late to do anything about them, he found out that those assumptions had been completely wrong. Rei reached up to brush away the wetness that he had just noticed on his cheeks. _I haven't even seen more than a glimpse of Kai's past, but it is more painful than I ever dreamed it could be. And I'm more afraid for him now than I was before._

-------------tbc

Well, I think that's my longest chapter so far. I hope everyone enjoyed it. It actually came together fairly quickly, but, due forces beyond my control, there was a bit of an interruption in posting.

I'm afraid there might be a delay in the next one, too. I'm a bit sore and tired. Some idiot wasn't paying attention the other day and crashed into me. The only good point I can find is that his car looks worse than mine. *Jerk*

I'll try not to keep you in suspense to long, but please be patient with me. Sorry to everyone who's story I've been reading, I'm going to be offline for a while, I'll catch up as soon as I can.

Special Thanks to:

**~Sheep~: **Well, the rest of the gang is sleeping, but Rei is quite busy digging into the past. I hope you enjoyed it.

**Othela: **^_^ I'm glad you get it. I hope the confusion that I set up is starting to clear. Part of the fun of making things murky is getting to make them clear again.

**SS2 Megami-sama: ***giggles* If you use a kitchen rapier, you're sure to miss. Of course that's all for the best, I have plans for our evil Hedeon. *Mwahaha*

**Fey Phantom: **I'm glad you're sticking around. I hope the story keeps dragging you back for more. I do still want to see your work, whenever you get set up ^_^

**Frostt: ***smiles patiently as small chipmunk looks for acorns in ears* Thanks for the offer Frostt, but I think one Chippie is more than enough for me. You can keep all your insane…ahem, friends. I'll take comfort in a good review ^_~

**Jae: **I'm so happy you thought the fight worked out well, I was definitely worried about it. I hope you enjoyed less action-packed pace of this chapter as well. I know what you mean about the 'Heart of Darkness,' it is definitely an image that many people use. I have read Lord of the Flies, but I hate to disappoint you. I really didn't like it, it goes against my core idea that everyone is fundamentally good. The idea that boys who were raised in a normal environment (meaning, they weren't all beaten and abused) suddenly, and for no other reason than it being 'man's true nature,' turning savage and mercilessly killing each other. It something I just don't like reading. It is a classic book, and it definitely makes you think, but I don't like the assumptions it makes. O_O Whoa, it's a book report @_@ where did that come from? Have you read The Outsiders? I like it's view on man's nature.

**Cosmos Angel: **Well, this update was a little quicker ~_~ I hope you enjoyed it. I've been dying to write it ^_~

**DragonBlade: ***laughs* Wow, I've been getting a lot of 'poor kai's, but now I'm starting to get some 'poor kai's mom' I'm glad that you see her as deserving some pity, she's definitely had a hard life. And now we know she had a hard death as well, is it any wonder that Hedeon hates him. Poor Kai's mom, and poor Kai for having to live with it.

**LaDiNi: ***giggles* ingenious!! *_* I just love your reviews, I always have to read them indoors, so I don't float away because of my over-inflated ego. I wanted to say thanks again for the beautiful pic. Many reviews have asked for it and a lot have told me how beautiful it is. I hope they visit your story too, to check out your writing skills ^_~

**Immortal Sadness and Sullen Seeker: ***laughs* Wow, if she's stuck there, she can only be called a captive audience. *shouts to the world* I have a captive audience!! *cool* Glad your both around and good throw ID

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: **See, update. *laughs* boy, you're easy to please ^_~

**Finaleternity: **I hope it continues to improve, there's more on the way.

**Viper: **I hope you enjoyed the pic. Feel free to ask me any questions if you are confused about something. I will try to clear up anything I can. *laughs* anything, that is, that doesn't give away upcoming parts of the story ^_~

**Kay baby-girl: **^_^ I'm not worried about the cold, swimming heats you up. Yeah! I'm so happy that you felt you could see the fight. I try to write in a way that shows you what I'm imagining. I know you don't see exactly what I do, but I'm glad we're on the same wavelength. ^_^ Catch ya next chapter.

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: ***giggles* No more torture? I'm afraid, I'd have to end the story now. Poor Kai's gonna have to suffer a lot more before I'm done with him. I did meet you halfway, though. I hope you liked the pic. Jan e!

So ends another chapter. Thanks so much to everyone who is reading, even those who don't review. 

I'm glad that you are all enjoying my story so far. Please don't forget to leave a little light. Bring the Sun!!!

The next chapter will be **Fever Inside the Storm**


	17. Fever Inside the Storm

**Disclaimer: ***sighs* Don't own nothing. Okay, that's not quite true. I own a few things, but they don't include Beyblade, Kai, Mudvayne, etc. It's a cold, cruel world.

**Warning: **Some confusion ^_^ some cursing (plug your ears if your under 17) ^_~ and some psychological torture (no blood, sorry for all you vampires out there)

**Author's Note: **All hail my two new best friends, my heating pad and marvelous vitamin M! Sorry, for the long wait for an update, I'm not spending much time in front of the computer. Bad Author!! I'll try to be better, maybe I can get a quick one up by Christmas. No promises.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XVII: Fever Inside the Storm**

The sharp sound of ice breaking echoed across the frozen lake. It was a sound that would have brought fear to anyone standing upon the ice, anyone but a certain silent blader.

_I don't understand. How could I have lost? I have never lost._

The slender boy stood frozen, looking down at the black blade in his hand. In his life, he had learned that victory meant everything. He had sacrificed everything for the black blade, everything in order to achieve the victory that he, no, it had hungered for. Now he had learned what a mistake that had been. His crimson eyes stared at nothing as his thoughts wandered in confusion. He was unaware of his own danger as the ice below him broke apart.

"Kai!"

The loud cry from his ex-team mates cut into his confusion. Slowly, he felt his eyes drawn up to see the bladers he had abandoned standing at the edge of the ice. 

_My team never lost…_

Kai was quickly becoming aware of his situation, the ice cold water beginning to lap at his toes. He felt like his soul was being torn in half. One part of him wanted to die. Having lost the battle, he felt he had lost his right to live. 

_And I betrayed them._

The other half of his heart cried out for him to live. He wanted to have another chance to earn the friendship of those before him. As the water moved up his calf, his crimson eyes searched desperately for some sign that he had a chance to return to his team mates. Kai looked into Takao's eyes. He had always considered the brash blader to be over-confident and foolish. But despite that, he had to admit, if only to himself, that he respected Takao's determination and strength of heart.

"Kai," Takao met his searching eyes, "I thought you were strong, but now I understand that you have always been the weakest one. You allowed yourself to be corrupted. Now, you have to live with it. Or perhaps die with it is a better way to say it."

Kai felt the ice move violently beneath him as another piece broke off with a sharp crack. However, he was barely aware of it because it was nothing in comparison to the way his entire world had been shaken by Takao's remark. Crimson eyes grew wide as he desperately searched for something he could say to refute the cruel words. _But there's nothing to say. He's right, I was too weak._

"The BladeBreakers are a team," Kai heard Max's soft voice and turned hopefully towards the blond blader.

Despite his own stoic nature, Kai had always found a certain inner joy when he was with Max. The blue-eyed boy always did his best, throwing everything into a battle. But that wasn't what Kai respected about him. Kai was continually amazed at the boy's generous spirit and cheerful nature. Max battled hard, but never lost his smile, even if he lost the battle. Kai hoped to see those clear blue eyes, hoped to see forgiveness and welcome in the boy's smile. As he watched Max, he found he could see neither, the boy's head was bowed and he would not make eyes contact with Kai.

"We offered you friendship," Max's soft voice continued, "We only wanted you to battle with us, to return that friendship. You betrayed us and we can't forgive you. I can't forgive you…I hate you, Kai."

Max looked up to meet Kai's eyes as he finished speaking. The anger and hate that Kai saw in those pale blue eyes staggered him. He tried to step back, attempting to move away from the accusation that they held. The ice flow rocked wildly beneath him as he found he was unable to move. His feet had frozen in place and he found himself sinking further into the cold lake, the cold water now reaching his thighs.

Slate hair was tossed wildly in the wind as he shook his head in denial. Kai had known intellectually that the others had no reason to forgive him, but in the depths of his heart he had believed that they would. Now he understood how foolish that belief was, the only one who had ever truly believed in him and supported unwaveringly him was Dranzer. _And I tossed him aside._

Kai looked for the blue blade and found it resting in Rei's hand. The black haired blader held it close, piercing him with a hard, amber glare. He had never seen Rei with such an expression before. Rei was different than the others on the team. While Kai respected certain attributes of Takao and Max, he respected Rei as a whole. He had never seen Rei act carelessly. _I wonder…if things had been different...would I have been like him?_

"It's finished, Kai," Rei spoke harshly, gripping Dranzer tightly. "You were determined to remain apart. I guess you got your wish."

"No, Rei…Dranzer?"

"You betrayed your bond with Dranzer, he will no longer rise for you. You have no claim to him, he will stay with me."

Kai's crimson eyes were wide with panic, the red flame within flickering erratically. He reached inside himself to find his bond to Dranzer and felt a sense of profound relief as he touched the warm flame. _Dranzer, you're still with me. I knew you wouldn't abandon me._

_Kai, you've betrayed me too many times. Nothing but pain and grief has come from our friendship. No more, you are nothing to me._

Abruptly, Kai felt the bond severed and he felt a gaping wound in its place. His warm, crimson eyes darkened and lost their fire. As the icy water crept up his chest, his dark silver eyes looked up at the friends he had betrayed. His vision was blurred with unshed tears and he found he could no longer focus on the bladers who were watching him as he was dragged under. 

_No, you promised. You said that you would always be there for me, no matter what! Dranzer!!_

The water closed over his head and for a moment Kai felt peace. He knew that he deserved this and hoped his friends would one day forgive him. At first the water was numbingly cold, but slowly he felt a strange heat infusing him. The heat grew until he felt it would suffocate him. It felt oddly familiar and he soon realized that it was Black Dranzer's fire. His body felt aflame as he sank into the dark, icy water. Kai was in agony and opened his mouth to scream, but the cry was swallowed by the darkness around him.

----------------

"Kenny, are you sure this is the place?"

Max stood in front of a closed, metal gate that was blocking their way up to a large European style house. He looked over his shoulder to see the brunette's response. Takao and Rei also looked in askance at the small boy as he once again consulted his laptop.

"According to Dizzi, this is the only listed address for the corporate headquarters of TechAire."

"Maybe it's a front," Rei mused. "I wouldn't think a corporation could be run from a house, no matter how big it is."

"Well, we'll never know unless we check it out." 

Takao stepped forward and began to ring the bell beside the gate. Rei suppressed a small sigh as he watched Takao rapidly ringing the bell. _Great, there goes any opportunity to check the place out quietly first._

"Hey! Anyone there?! We're looking for TechAire. Hey! Come on, let us in already."

This time Rei couldn't stifle the sigh of exasperation. The navy haired blader was now yelling into the intercom by the bell trying to get someone inside to answer him. The Chinese blader wondered if they would find themselves escorted back to their hotel by the police.

"Takao, that may not be the best idea," Rei said, attempting to quiet his friend down. "Mr. Dickinson arranged for us to come here for the tournament, but if the police come to take us back to the hotel he'll figure out that we had other reasons for coming here. He might even pull us back home."

The remaining 'Breakers had asked the BBA president to let them attend the upcoming tournament that was being sponsored by TechAire and he had more than agreed. He had arranged a BBA bus to take them to the city and even set them up at a nice hotel near the stadium. The BBA head had secretly rejoiced that they had returned to competing, he had been worried that the loss of their team captain had broken their spirit. They had not told him of their plans to track Kai down, they knew he wouldn't believe them without hard evidence and would just be worried that they were in denial. 

"Oh," Takao's arm dropped dejectedly. "I didn't think of that. Sorry, guys."

Max patted Takao's arm reassuringly as the four boys gathered around Kenny. The chief was busy consulting Dizzi, trying to see if she could find a local map of the area or maybe even hack into the city files to try to find a blueprint of the house. As Rei looked over Kenny's shoulder, he subconsciously patted the right pocket of his jacket. The bladers had agreed it would be best to keep Dranzer out of sight and so had disconnected him from Dizzi for the trip. Rei had indisputable guardianship of the blade and was determined to keep it safe until he could return it to Kai.

"Ahem." 

The boys looked up guiltily as an elderly gentleman attempted to get their attention from beyond the locked gate. The man was tall and extremely thin with white hair that seemed to emphasize his age. He looked to the bladers like the very stereotype of a prim and proper English butler. Before Rei could step forward, Takao jumped up and grabbed the bars that separated them from the man.

"What took you so long, Jeeves? We're trying to find TechAire. Is this the place?"

The older man looked down his thin nose at Takao for a long moment before deigning to reply.

"This is indeed the headquarters for TechAire. Is there some way I may be of assistance to you?"

"Great!" Takao rushed on, completely unfazed by the man's tone of voice that implied he'd rather be cleaning out the stables than anywhere near the navy haired blader. "You see, we're trying to track down a friend. His name is Ka"

"Ow! Look where you're walking there, Rei!" Takao glared at Rei as the amber eyed blader stomped on his foot.

Max saw what Rei was doing and stepped forward quickly to divert Takao's attention. He knew that they would have a better chance of finding Kai if they didn't let on that they knew he was alive.

"We're sorry to bother you," Rei said, smoothly filling in where Takao left off, "but we were interested in speaking with Voltaire Hiwatara about the upcoming tournament. We plan on competing and we had a few questions for him."

"Mr. Hiwatara is currently occupied in a business matter. He left instructions not to be disturbed."

"So he is staying here at the chateau?" 

"Yes, but I'm afraid if you want to see him, you will have to look for him at the tournament in two days. He does not have time to speak with every kid who thinks he's a champion."

"What! But we are champ…ow!," Takao was again silenced by a hard stomp, this time delivered by Max.

"Thank you for the help," Rei gave a short bow and motioned to his friends. "Come on guys, it's time to return to the hotel."

The butler watched them with suspicious eyes as they walked out of view, dragging a loudly protesting Takao with them. Once they had rounded the corner and escaped the man's eyes, they stopped. Takao tripped as the others halted so unexpectedly and looked up angrily.

"What the hell did you guys do that for? I'll have you know my feet are made for walking, not walking on. And why did you give up so quickly, Rei? I thought we were here to find Kai, not Voltaire."

"Takao," Rei replied with infinite patience, "we can't tell them what we're doing. They would just try to stop us. Besides, now we know Kai is there."

"What?"

"It's like this. We know Voltaire kidnapped Kai. We know he's probably trying to persuade him to use Black Dranzer again. So that means that Voltaire is going to have Kai close by. Kai's got to be in the house somewhere, we just have to find a way to snoop around without getting caught."

Takao finally caught on and they quickly decided that the best way to get closer would be to sneak through the woods at the edge of the property. Though they tried to be quiet, except for Rei, they were city-boys and had no skill in moving silently. Worried that the noise would announce them before they could get close enough to see anything, Rei motioned for the others to stay put while he moved on ahead. The shadows among the trees lengthened as the sun moved closer to the horizon, forcing Rei to move more slowly. Just as he thought he was close to the edge of the woods, he felt a hand grab his shoulder firmly.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing here."

Rei turned quickly, startled that someone had approached him unnoticed. Trying to pull free from the iron grip, he looked up to see crimson eyes that seemed to burn with anger staring down at him.

------------ elsewhere

_in…out…in…out_

With his consciousness slowly returning, Kai was alarmed to find that breathing was suddenly something that required effort. He could feel the fractures of his broken ribs grating against each other, the sound seeming to reverberate in his ears. Kai's alarm began to grow into full-fledged fear as he realized that he was surrounded by darkness and silence. 

_Am I dead? Did I drown? No! That's not what happened. They forgave me, they all forgave me! Maybe I'm dreaming?_

Kai pushed his hand against a soft, intangible resistance until he was sure it was directly before his face. Still he found he could not see it. Slowly, deliberately, he brushed his hand down his face. His fingers gently slid over his open eyes, the rough scab on his cheek, and his split lip. He continued his search to his shoulder, gasping at the pain that revealed that his shoulder was still dislocated, useless. Despite his desire not to show weakness, a small groan escaped his throat, a groan that remained unheard.

_What the hell is going on here? I can't see, I can't hear, I can't speak! What did that bastard do to me!_

Stretching his hand before him, Kai discovered a smooth, seamless surface before him. He tried to pound on it, but the strange resistance around him prevented him from striking with any force. His effort didn't go unnoticed though.

A bright light suddenly invaded his strange prison. His eyes seemed almost burned by the light as his pupils desperately constricted to adjust to the assault. Blinking away tears that he couldn't feel, Kai strained to see. His attempts were finally rewarded as a blurry shape sharpened before him.

_Shit. It has to be Grandfather. What did you do to me, you demented psycho!?!_

Though Kai meant to yell this question at his grandfather, again he found no sound emerged. That was when he finally realized what sort of prison his grandfather had designed for him. He found himself entombed in a large, glass cylinder, floating in a thick sort of water. The world he saw seemed to be tinted in a strange, pale red color. Kai's eyes were wide as he struck frantically against the glass before him. 

The imposing figure of Voltaire simply watched his grandson flail uselessly at the glass. Then walking to a console beside the cylinder, he flicked a small switch and his cruel voice emerged from a speaker located in the cylinder below Kai.

"Truly, my Grandson, you have allowed your emotions to weaken you. Don't let your fear overwhelm you. You will not drown in there."

Voltaire smiled as Kai froze in the watery prison and glared at him. One thing Kai was determined not to do was show his grandfather his fear, even if it meant him drowning.

"You are aware of the contacts I have within the military. That is a special solution developed for diving. It is highly oxygenated and so can provide your body with the oxygen it needs. The high oxygen content will also assist your wounds in healing more rapidly. No need to thank me."

Kai's glare turned lethal. _I'm not dumb enough to believe any of this is for my sake, Grandfather, so why don't you just say what you are really doing._

"I see you don't believe me. I'm hurt by you mistrust, Kai."

Kai merely responded to Voltaire's false expression of hurt with a silent snarl.

"I think you should reconsider battling for me," Voltaire smiled at Kai's obvious defiance. "Perhaps you would be interested in knowing that the BladeBreakers are competing in the tournament I've scheduled. They were just here to gather more information on it. Do you really consider those fools to be your friends? After all, how much could they care about you if they are already planning their next big win?"

Kai felt a small smile tug at his lips as Voltaire taunted him. _What an idiot. I bet they were looking for me. I can't believe he'd fall for such a lame excuse._

"You are so easy to read, my grandson," Voltaire laughed. "Don't expect to be rescued by the cavalry. Everyone believes you are dead. They've moved on and it's time for you to move on as well. It's time to unleash Black Dranzer."

"And before you get your hopes up, you should know that blading with Black Dranzer is your only option now. Your precious phoenix was destroyed. Since it was your foolishness that forced me to destroy Biovolt, it was only fair that I also destroy you and your phoenix at the same time."

Voltaire enjoyed the denial he saw on Kai's face. Hedeon had tried to convince him that Kai could be persuaded through physical torment, but Voltaire knew that Kai would not allow himself to break to pain alone. _Psychological torture always works so much better._

"It was quite easy. I managed to kill two birds with one stone. Well, three actually," Voltaire chuckled cruelly at this. "You see, I knew your friends would make an attempt to find you if you were still alive, so I decided it would be better if you were dead."

"It was not difficult to switch medical records between you and another of the abbey's students. I even had someone already picked out. Bryan had turned out to be a big disappointment to me. First in losing his battle to the 'Breaker friend of yours, and then in losing to you."

"I decided a more permanent punishment was needed. Hedeon arranged the scene perfectly. He used a thin wire to restrain him and even planted your beloved Dranzer on him. The fire was hot enough to melt the wire, but sadly not before he was too overwhelmed by the smoke to take advantage of that freedom. I think Hedeon found it fitting that a fire was used to destroy your blade and your previous life."

Kai closed his eyes, trying to block out his grandfather. He didn't want to hear anymore. He didn't want to know about another person that died because of him. _Bryan was a twisted kid, but he didn't deserve to die like that._

He didn't even contemplate the possibility that he had lost Dranzer. Kai was sure that he had felt Dranzer with him when he first awoke in the underground cell. He would not accept Dranzer's loss unless it was proven to him. __

"Hmm," Voltaire tapped lightly on the glass, "Maybe you need more time to consider. I will be back for your answer. I won't give you long to consider, but for you, it will probably feel like an eternity."

Laughing, Voltaire returned to the console and toggled some switches. Kai found the sound suddenly cut off and that the light was rapidly growing dim. It wasn't long before he was trapped again in the strange prison.

_FUCK! I get it now. It's a damned sensory deprivation tank. No wonder I had that wild dream. If you cut off a person's sense of touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste, it isn't long before that person starts hallucinating. He thinks he can warp my thinking by forcing me to hallucinate. _

Kai closed his eyes. Not changing his perception, but giving him comfort that with his eyes closed it was supposed to be dark. He forced himself to slow his breathing, steady his pulse. Because the fluid was thicker than air, each breath required more muscle to bring in fresh oxygen and expel the carbon dioxide. He pushed past the pain and focused all his energy trying to reach a meditative state.

_I have to stave off the hallucinations. I have to focus on something that I know is real. I told Ran I would fight the darkness, and I will. I won't let him down again!_

--------------tbc

*smiles angelically*

Aren't I evil? Kai's friends are right outside and I just won't let them find him *laughs insanely*

I have a few more flash backs and loads of hints before I will let them find each other.  ^_^

Sorry for any Takao lovers, I just can't help it. I really think he's an idiot. Kind hearted and determined, but an idiot nevertheless.

Thanks again for everyone reading my story. It is much appreciated. I will work hard on the next chapter, I'm looking forward to it. It should reveal some stuff and will have some fun with flashbacks.

Special Thanks to: (it's long, but you all deserve praise and answers)

**LaDiNi****: *smiles* I'm so happy! I'm so glad you really felt like you were there for the explosion of the abbey. I was so happy to write it. That scene has been playing on my mind since I first started planning this fic. I'm glad you think it turned out well.**

**SS2 Megami-sama: ***giggles* I think poor Tobi is too sleepy. Don't worry about Hedeon, I told you I have plans for him. *MWAHAhahahaha*

**The Fire-breathing-ferret:** I'm so glad you enjoyed the pic. As you can see, I am still torturing Kai. Poor boy has a few issues to work through so I thought I'd help him out. Aren't I nice?

**Othela****: Glad you liked the chapter. I hope you enjoyed the pic as well. Stay with me, I still have a ways to go. ^_^**

**Goldeneyes****: hmmm… You know I never really considered having Kai reconcile with his mother. I feel sorry for her (hey, I'm the one that tortured her after all), but I don't know about how Kai would feel. Realistically, I think it would be plausible for him to find some forgiveness for her, but I don't think he will ever be able to think fondly of her. Despite her intentions, she did cause him great physical and emotional abuse. Well, we'll just have to see where the story takes us.**

**Fey Phantom: **I'm glad you liked that I had Rei sort of 'interpreting' the chapter for us. You understood exactly what I was trying to do. I wanted a different viewpoint to explore Kai's complex relationships. Having Rei there provides us with an impartial (somewhat) view of the circumstances. Through Rei, we actually get to be in the story. *laughs* Uh-oh! I guess I started it, but it's your fault for encouraging me. I love good discussions. You have some valid points in your philosophy, but I love playing the devil's advocate, so get ready….I challenge the idea that the 'one true goal' of any living creature is to reproduce. If you look at it from a biological stand point, the actual act of sex stimulates certain receptors in the body that release endorphins that cause a sensation of pleasure. Therefore, animals are reproducing secondary to the goal of having pleasure. This would explain why you sometimes see male animals having sex. They could care less about the reproducing aspect, they are only interested in the physical pleasure they achieve. *giggles* Couldn't resist!

**Kai's-gurl-Riece:** *laughs* Two reviews, getting vicious now, aren't we? Of course I'll tell you how to get to my place. Why wouldn't I want someone making death threats at me from knowing. It's the second star to the right and straight on until morning. Or you could just buy a ticket on the Kai Torture Express ^_~ See ya soon *laughs*

**Jae****: Thank you for the great review. I am working hard to keep my chapters from becoming stale. I want to keep things interesting. Don't feel bad about playing voyeur, you aren't. You have been invited to this story and therefore you are joining Kai in his journey, not merely watching. Hope you enjoyed re-reading Outsiders ^_^**

**Cosmos angel: **See, here's Kai. And I didn't even beat up on him this chapter. It is sad what happened to his mother *laughs* there is a bit more to Kai's tragic past, so stick around.

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: **Thanks, keep reading, I'm definitely gonna keep writing.

**~sheep~: ***laughs* Sounds like you really got caught up in that chapter! Yeah!! Wasn't it great to see Kai in all his glory destroy the place that hurt him so much. Boy I just loved it! ^_^

**Three A's, two C's, and PDBF: **Well…I hate to tell you this…*pulls out teeny-tiny needle and pops over-inflated head* You just got the first line right *giggles* Your right about Kai! *laughs* Maybe you'll figure it out next chapter ^_~

**Kai baby-girl: **Thank you for the fantastic review. It really means a lot that you spent so much time on it. I really am so happy when someone tells me they can 'see' it. And I really love your analogy about someone missing a part of the play because they are in the toilet. *giggles* Great image* and I know exactly what your saying. I really wanted to show Dranzer's take on the events of Kai's life. Kai is so wounded, he is almost incapable of revealing his emotions to others. Dranzer is sort of what Kai could have been. They are brothers in spirit but because Dranzer didn't experience the years of torture that Kai did, he is more open with his emotions. It's sort of like a light verses dark Kai. Make sense? I hope so. Catch you next chapter and thanks again for the heartfelt review.

**Mega-gurl X: **Glad you liked. Sorry for the slow update. Ja ne!

**SquirrelOfShadows****: *giggles* took you longer enough, but who am I to talk. Later!**

**Icy blade anonymous1250: **Wow! A wonderful, thoughtful review deserves a thoughtful thank you. I never thought of my writing as surreal. I will take that as high praise. That you feel a mix of emotions like that is flattering, it makes me think I'm really pulling you into my story. Thanks for the kind words on Kai's tattoo, I thought it would be very significant to how little people know about each other. The scars that are seen are never more than the tip of the iceberg. The others only had the faintest ideas of Kais emotional pain because they had only seen the smallest portion of his scars. *laughs* I am being very liberal, but it's fun, right? I love stories that make my imagination run wild. Since Kai's past contains so much mystery, it just begs for elaboration. I hope I don't ruin his character too much by diverging from the original story. I hope you aren't too confused with my flashback. You are correct in saying that I'm doing it on purpose. I feel the story would be boring if I just did A, B, C, etc. I want people to look for clues and see if they can beat me to the punch. Can you figure out the mystery before I tell it to you ^_~ It's also relevant to the story. I can't give you the flashbacks on Kai's mother until I make a reason for Kai to remember them. They weren't important memories until Hedeon provoked him. Therefore, why would he bother remembering them until then. See? I am making them somewhat chronological, as much as I can without revealing too much that is ^_~ Thanks again for the wonderful praise. I'm extremely flattered. I do plan on writing more after I finish this story, but I'm not thinking too much on plots now. If I do, I may get sidetracked and then I really would have people hunting for my head. I'm planning on posting a chapter after the final chapter that will have the song lyrics and potential stories that I will write after this one. I'll be looking for any specific requests of what to do next from my reviewers. You are all so kind to me, I love making you happy ^_^ (whoa, that was long O_O)

**DragonBlade****: Yep, I just keep coming up with ways to torment him. Stay tuned it only gets worse from here.**

**Dawn35: **Glad you stopped by, don't worry about it. I understand. I've been offline myself lately. I'll check you're fic again later. For now, it's off to bed with my two new friends 

**Viper: **I'm glad this chapter cleared up a lot for you. I wasn't sure from how you phrased your question, what exactly you were asking. Sorry, I'll try my best to answer it. In my fic, I'm focusing mostly on Hedeon. Boris trained Kai in Beyblading, but Hedeon trained him in fighting. If Kai had other trainers, and I'm sure he probably did, I'm not planning on focusing on them. At this point, I'm almost done introducing new characters. If I introduce too many, I'll never get done. I hope that answered your question. If not, please try again. I'll do my best.

**Child of Stars: **^_^ Loved the review. Thanks! Sorry again for the slow update ;_;

**Artemis347: ***laughs* Thanks for going back and reviewing from the beginning! I love to see your comments as you get through each chapter. I hope since this was a long chapter, you will give me a long review. ^_~ You said it, not me (chappie 2) Ja ne!

*bows low* Thanks for sticking with me, I hope you continue to enjoy the story. Please remember how much you love me now, so that later if you start hating me you at least won't kill me ^_~

I do have one request for everyone who might be reading my story. No matter your faith, the holidays are a time to spend with your loved ones. Please take a moment and send a positive thought to all those who are unable to be with their loved ones. It never hurts to send good thoughts into the world.

Ja ne!!!

The Next chapter will be **Turning Away**


	18. Turning Away

**Disclaimer:** Guess what everyone!?! I got Beyblade from Santa this Christmas!! It's mine, all mine! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa *gets hauled off in straightjacket*

*two men in black suits and shades hold up long, blinking device*

"She doesn't own anything! You didn't see anything! You'll remember nothing."

*flash*

**Warning:** Things are getting darker. Cursing, darkness, blood and death ahead.

**Author's Note:** This was getting pretty dark, so I combined two paths into one. To make sure you don't get confused, I'm going to help you out. One path follows the 'Breakers as they try to find Kai. The other is Kai as he tries to hold onto his past to remain sane. The paths will pass each other at not exactly random moments to ease with the darkness. I hope that clears things up a little.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XVIII: Turning Away**

Hesitation proved to be his downfall. Rei had been so startled by the silent stranger that he did not act quickly enough to escape his grasp. Now he found his arm in an iron grip and could only stare into the burning eyes of the man who had trapped him.

"Speak up!" the man shook Rei, as if to emphasize his words. "Who are you and what are you doing on my property? Are you from that cursed house? Speak up, boy."

Rei remained silent, his mind working furiously to figure out who had caught him and how he could talk his way out of the situation. Not at all pleased with his captive's silence, the tall man began to drag Rei with him through the woods. Rei bit his lip to prevent from crying out. The man's repeated pulling at his arm was causing pain to pulse out from his still healing collar bone. It had been less than two weeks since the fight and while his sprained wrist was almost completely healed, it took longer for bones to knit. 

As Rei realized that the man was taking him away from the chateau, away from his opportunity to find Kai, he began to struggle against the man's hold despite the increased pain it caused. Though Rei didn't call out for fear of alerting Voltaire's men, the sound of his struggles did reach his friends. In moments, the crimson eyed stranger found himself encircled by the three bladers. At the sight of their serious faces the man halted, but he refused to release his hold on Rei's arm.

"Hey, let go of Rei!"

The man only smirked as Takao attempted to block his path.

"Thanks, kid. Now I know who he is, why don't you tell me who you are and what you think you are doing on my property."

"Look, my name is Max," Max stepped forward hesitantly, "We'll tell you anything you want to know, but please let go of our friend. Can't you see your hurting him?"

The man's hard demeanor changed as he looked down at the intruder he had caught only to see the boy hanging limply in his grip, defiant amber eyes staring up at him from a pale face. Quickly the man released his hold and stepped back, out of the circle of bladers. At his release, Rei fell to one knee cradling his arm to his side. Max and Takao were immediately at his side inquiring if he was alright and trying to help him up without hurting him.

"Okay, now tell me who you are," the man spoke, trying to regain his righteous indignation. "You are trespassing on my family's land. You better have a good explanation."

"Listen, buddy," Takao was furious at how Rei had been manhandled. "You have some nerve demanding anything from us after roughing up our friend."

Seeing that the situation was on a steady decline as Takao and the man started yelling insults at each other, Rei climbed to his feet with Max's help and stepped between them.

"It's okay, Takao," Rei said, placing his hand on Takao's arm. "I'm fine. He didn't mean to hurt me, he just didn't know I was injured. And he's right, we are trespassing."

Rei's cool words of wisdom penetrated both verbal combatants. Takao promptly shut up and turned away from the man. Not wanting to lie, but not willing to give away anything, Rei tried to give a suitable answer to the raven haired man.

"I'm sorry we trespassed, Sir. You see, we're trying to find our friend and we sort of stumbled onto your property. It was an accident. If you just let us go, we'll walk back to our hotel."

"Hmph, I guess accidents can happen," the man grudgingly admitted, the only apology he was willing to give. "It's getting late and it can be dangerous for kids out after dark. Why don't you come with me, you can call a cab from my house."

Without waiting for an answer, the man turned and headed off. The four boys gathered together for a quick, whispered discussion.

"Should we go with him?" Rei asked softly.

"No, I don't trust him. He's probably just trying to lure us off somewhere so he can kill us."

"Takao, that's stupid," Kenny snorted. "We're already somewhere where he could kill us. It's late and it's going to get pretty cold tonight. I say we take him up on his offer."

"I'm with Kenny," Max agreed. "Besides, Rei's hurt, he needs to rest a bit before we head back."

"I'm fine."

But despite his protests, the others quickly concluded that Rei would be better off if he had a short break. Hurrying to catch up, they followed after stranger. They reached him as he was leaving the edge of the woods. Before them, they saw a beautiful, traditional Japanese home. The warm, rich wood seemed to glow from the lights that shone through the sliding doors.

---------------------

_The darkness..._

In the complete darkness of his prison, Kai had difficulty following his friend's advice. He knew the sensory deprivation could twist his thoughts, create hallucinations that would seem real. By focusing on his past, he hoped to keep a firm grip on what was real and what wasn't.

***flashback***

Kai lay silently on his bed. The light from the breaking sun fell across his face as it entered through the open window. He had returned in the night from his summer stay at the chateau and he had been unable to sleep. Ran's words continued to cycle through his mind.

_Try not to let the darkness in._

Unsure if this was the beginning or the end, Kai rose from his bed and calmly got dressed. As he did on every morning at the abbey, he joined the other students for a 5 mile run before meeting in the main hall to begin the day's training. To all appearances, he was exactly the same boy he had been before he left for the summer. 

But appearances can be deceiving. Kai was determined to stand up to his grandfather, his mother, and anyone else who tried to force him to battle. His green eyes held a sense of peace as he focused on thoughts of Ran and Nadya.

_I have to fight. I can't let them destroy the feelings I have for Ran and Nadya. They think I'm tame, but I'll show them better._

As the morning training regimen came to a finish, Boris cleared the boys from the main beydish. The boys mutely followed his orders, they understood it was time for the one-on-one battles. These battles were more than training. Each mistake would result in punishment. Each victory would result in another battle. There was no mercy on this battle field, because mercy only led to more pain.

"Kai! Tala!" Boris motioned to the named combatants. "You're up first. Since you are our top students, I expect one of you to become the ultimate victor today."

A young boy with flaming red hair and piercingly blue eyes stepped up to the dish as Kai approached to stand opposite of him. Boris raised his beefy hand and called out to them.

"Ready!"

At his words, the red head lifted his launcher aiming at the dish, his eyes never leaving Kai's. Kai mirrored his moves, but then, unexpectedly, he dropped his arm to his side. Boris was completely flabbergasted by his prize pupil's odd behavior.

"Just what the hell do you think you're playing at, Kai?"

"That's just it," Kai answered calmly, "I'm not playing. I choose not to battle."

The large man's face turned red as he stalked up to the lithe boy. Glaring down at him, he backhanded him to the floor.

"You don't have a choice, fool. It is not an option, it is an order."

"Fuck you," was Kai's only response as he smirked up at Boris.

Letting his rage take hold, Boris slammed blows and kicks into the boy on the ground before him. The other students just watched in horror. They had seen Kai receive the same punishment as themselves, but they had never witnessed such a brutal attack. Boris continued to lash out long after Kai had lost consciousness. Finally, his kicks started to come slower, landing between panting breaths before staggering to a halt.

Worn out, Boris looked around to see the other students agape at the spectacle they had witnessed. Still furious at Kai's defiance, he ordered one of the other trainers to carry the boy back to his room. Boris planned to have a very long talk with Voltaire about the boy's behavior. As he watched the limp form being carried away, Boris smiled to think of the punishment Kai had in store once his grandfather was informed.

---------------------elsewhere, elsewhen

Their host took them inside and motioned for them to sit at the low table. He returned shortly with a mobile phone, tossing it carelessly at Takao.

"Here, you can use this. Then you can leave the way you came."

With those abrupt words, the man left, closing the screen behind him. The bladers traded confused looks at the man's brusque behavior.

"Rei, let me take a look at your arm."

"I'm fine, Max, really." Rei tried to wave off Max's concern as the blond blader approached him.

"I wish Dizzi had a medical program. We could sure use it."

"Kenny, I'm fine."

Takao was just starting to stand up when the sliding door opened again and a man entered the room. Rei and the others just stared at him, unsure of what to do. This man looked very much like the man they had encountered in the woods. He had the same crimson eyes and ebony hair, but he looked a bit younger. Seeing the boys frozen like deer in the headlights, the man chuckled slightly and gave a small bow.

"My oniisan said we had visitors. I'm sorry if he frightened you."

The man placed a tray on the table in front of them and handed them each a cup of hot tea.

"Please, drink, it's quite cold out," seeing Takao's suspicious gaze, the man merely laughed before continuing. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I am Houo Hideaki, you've already met my brother, Isamu."

Upon hearing the man's name, Kenny jerked upright, his tea splashing sloppily across the table top.

"Oh," he stammered, "I'm so sorry. That was really clumsy of me."

"Don't worry about it. I will just go get a towel from the kitchen."

Hideaki rose gracefully to his feet and smiled at the small brunette before leaving the room.

"Did he say 'Houo'?" Kenny turned to his friends, his eyes wide in recognition of the name.

"Yeah," Takao answered, puzzled at Kenny's shocked face. "What about it, Chief?"

"Wasn't that the name of the family Voltaire's mother was supposed to marry into?"

"That's not all, Max," Kenny opened Dizzi up to scan for the information they had uncovered earlier. "That's also the name of the man who Voltaire's wife was supposed to marry."

"This family sure seems to pop up a lot when we're investigating Kai," Rei looked thoughtfully at the others.

"Yeah, but does that make them trustworthy, or untrustworthy?" Kenny asked.

"Well, I don't think we should trust them. I didn't like that creep we met in the woods, Idiot, or whoever he was."

"Isamu," Rei corrected Takao. "I don't know if we should trust them with everything, but maybe they can help us out. They live next to Voltaire, maybe they have some information we can use."

"Fine, whatever," Takao frowned. "Do whatever you think will help, but I just don't trust that Idiot."

"Hey guys," Max spoke up hesitantly, "Don't you think his eyes looked just like Kai's. I mean, they're the same color and everything."

------------------

A heavy door creaked open allowing the bright light from the corridor to enter the small cell. Kai raised his hand to shield his eyes and found his arm grasped tightly by his jailor.

It had been seven days since he had first refused to battle. Each day since had fallen into a pattern. Kai would be dragged out of his small, dark cell each morning and brought to the beydish before the other students. With his grandfather and the others watching, Kai would listen to Boris pompously demand he battle. And just as he had that first day, Kai would refuse. Then came the only variation in his day. His grandfather would order his punishment, but each day brought a different pain. Some days would be physical beatings from various lackeys, other days would entail Voltaire's pet scientists and their extreme experiments.

Kai tried to shake off the grip on his arm as he steeled himself for the cycle of pain his life had become. The man merely laughed at his attempt and pulled him to his feet, dragging him down the hall. He was surprised to find that instead of being taken into the main hall, his jailors were taking him deeper into the maze of cells.

They finally halted in front of one of the many indiscriminate cells. Voltaire stood before the door, smiling pleasantly down at Kai.

"Well, Kai. I must say, I was definitely pleased to see you showing some backbone to that fool Boris. I had wondered if you had inherited any of my strength. However, enough is enough. Your childish defiance will end now."

"No, Grandfather. This is just the beginning. I won't listen to you anymore. I won't battle for you now matter what you do to me."

Looking down at his grandson, Voltaire took in the signs of abuse. He noted the old and new bruises visible on Kai's face. The track marks of numerous needles running up both of his thin arms. Blood stains liberally decorated his torn clothes. Then he did something Kai wasn't expecting, he laughed.

"You're right," Voltaire said, smiling. "The past few days have shown me that. That is why I've decided to try a different tactic."

Turning, Voltaire pushed open the door behind him allowing the light to spill into the cell. Kai's look of confusion melted into horror as he saw a limp, bloody body lying on the floor of the dark cell. An inarticulate cry was torn from his throat as he struggled fruitlessly against the man holding him. Trying every dirty trick of street fighting that he had learned from Gavriil, Kai managed to inflict a fair amount of damage on his captor. But even with his skill, he did not accomplish anything more than angering the men around him. He was beaten to the ground, landing partly in the cell, with two men holding him down.

"So, Kai," Voltaire laughed. "What is your answer now? Feel free to defy me, but understand that Nadya will receive your punishment for you."

Kai's eyes never left Nadya's bruised face. He stretched his hand towards her only to find that she was just out of his reach. Clenching his seeking hand into a fist, he struck out at the ground before closing his eyes and turning away from the face of the woman he had loved as his mother.

"alright"

Kai returned to blading, but remained defiant in any and every way possible. He became silent, refusing to answer when spoken to. Inwardly, he enjoyed how much it angered his mother and grandfather. And, though he was punished for such petty behavior, he had learned that they would not punish Nadya for it. He assumed his grandfather would save threats against her for the things that were most important. Otherwise he might force Kai beyond the breaking point and lose his puppet. Kai knew that no matter what, his grandfather needed him, even if he didn't know why.

Kai's continued defiance cost him a lot. He no longer was allowed to see Nadya. Even though he felt practically grown-up, he was nine after all, almost ten, he still missed her. Voltaire had allowed Kai to visit her once after he began blading again. It was proof to Kai that she was alive and would stay that way as long as he cooperated. When he had seen her, she had given him her guitar. And although he practiced faithfully every night, it did little to relieve the pain he felt in his heart from missing her.

Voltaire had also allowed his scientists to deviate from their previous studies. Before, they had studied Kai's endurance and potential strength, all supposedly in an effort to increase his skill at blading. Now, however, it seemed that Voltaire had removed their leash. Kai could not understand what the objective of their current research was. They would test new chemicals and devices on him. This one would paralyze, that one would prevent loss of consciousness, and another would enhance sensations so that small pains would feel extreme. Each day brought new pointless studies, pointless unless the point was to create pain.

His training regimen was different now as well. Each day he was the first picked to battle and each battle was against an opponent wielding a bit beast. At first he had lost often, earning many beatings. The other students would taunt him because he lacked a beast, but Kai quickly learned to compensate. He knew that most bladers with bit beasts became overconfident when battling a foe without one. He learned to use their own force, their own bit beasts even, against them.

Kai had once asked his grandfather, after repeated losses and punishments, why he didn't battle with a bit beast of his own. His grandfather had given him an enigmatic answer, stating only that he was destined to battle with the strongest animal spirit and that Voltaire would not allow him to battle with another, lesser beast.

-------------------

The others didn't get to reply to Max's observation on their host's eye color because Hideaki returned at that moment. Quickly, he cleaned the spill and refilled Kenny's cup. Looking around at the now silent boys, a thin eyebrow lifted in inquiry.

"There is definitely something strange going on here," He let his gaze roam over the boys who seemed desperate to escape eye contact. "So perhaps you can enlighten me. Why were you on our property?"

Rei briefly made eye contact with Takao before replying to Hideaki's question.

"Well, you see…we're looking for a friend of ours."

"So you got lost and wandered onto our property, is that it?" Hideaki looked a little suspicious of that rather simple explanation.

"Not exactly, Houo-san," Rei quickly sorted through his options before proceeding. "We believe our friend is in the chateau and we thought we could get closer to look for him if we cut through the woods. We really didn't know we were trespassing on your family's land."

Hideaki looked thoughtful at Rei's answer. He caught each boy's eyes, as if to measure them to see if they were to be believed. A short nod seemed to show he accepted what they had told him.

"Are you sure he is your friend?" his crimson eyes burning with a strange intensity. "That house and the people inside it are truly evil. If your 'friend' is from that house, I would advise you to leave him there."

"No," Rei jumped to his feet. "We can't leave him there, he's not like that. He's innocent."

"Yeah, right," Takao snorted. "Innocent my hairy"

"Takao!" Rei interrupted him before he could finish his insult.

Hideaki merely watched the exchange between the two boys. Despite his brother's suspicion, he felt the boys were innocent. He could read their emotions easily as they spoke to him and to each other, he sensed no deceit from them. 

"Look, you boys seem to be good kids. You really should just leave. Believe me when I say you don't want to be involved in any way with anyone from that place."

"He's our friend and we're not going to abandon him," Rei turned to face Hideaki, a serious expression on his face. "You're going to have to tell us a lot more then that if you want to convince us to leave him there all alone."

Seeing the determined look on the faces surrounding the table, Hideaki gave a soft sigh. It seemed he would have to elaborate a bit more to convince the children to be careful.

"My family has lived in this home for many generations. We have experienced much peace and prosperity here. That ended about 35 years ago, when that house was built. It's strange, but so many difficulties have befallen my clan since that time."

"When I was younger, I thought my father and uncle were superstitious. I listened to their stories, but never really paid attention. My uncle was a bitter man. He blamed all his misfortune on that place, even his fiancé running away. I thought he was stupid to blame a person's behavior on an inanimate object."

The 'Breakers were listening intently to Hideaki's story, trying to discover any new information that they could use to find Kai. Kenny looked up at this and met Rei's eyes. He silently mouthed a name to Rei.

_Hotaru._

Rei nodded a silent agreement before turning back to the story unfolding before them. Though Hideaki had not seen the silent exchange, Takao and Max had. The boys were fascinated to hear the story behind the information that they had researched.

"You really should listen to me when I say that place is dangerous," Hideaki said, turning his serious, crimson eyes on them again. "I didn't listen to my family and I almost lost everything. I was tricked by someone who seemed innocent. If it hadn't been for my brother's interference, I don't know what her deceit would have led to. He managed to save me from that place, but I wasn't able to do the same for him."

Hideaki looked down to the cup he was gripping tightly in his hands. The tea had long since grown cold, but he had yet to taste it. It was hard for him to speak about his brother, but he felt it was the only way to convince the children before him to leave that evil place alone.

"My brother lost everything to that place. His son used to play in the woods near where he found you. One day, he just didn't come home. Isamu-oniisan searched everywhere for him, but to no avail. There was no sign of him anywhere. My sister-in-law was grief-stricken. One day when my brother returned home from searching the woods, he found her dead. She had been unable to overcome her sorrow and killed herself."

"It was very selfish of her," Hideaki said quietly. "My brother now has to grieve alone. He continues to search the woods between our lands. Since his son has never been found, he believes he can still find him."

"Do you understand what I have been trying to tell you now?" Hideaki looked at the shocked faces surrounding him. "There is nothing too underhanded for the people in that place. They will use women and children to deceive and cause harm. You would do best to forget your so-called 'friend' and leave that place alone.

-------------------

Spring was rapidly coming to an end. Kai had no delusions that he would be allowed to return to the chateau for the summer. He knew that his continued defiance was growing increasingly irritating to his grandfather. Though he was sad that he would not get to see Ran again, he was proud that he had done his best to live up to the promise he had made to his friend.

_I will do everything to keep the darkness out._

It had been several months since he had lost a beybattle. As he looked across the dish, preparing for the next fight, he felt genuine sorrow that there would be another victim to his grandfather's tortures. The boy standing across from him was smaller than the others. His pale lilac hair fell messily in front of his eyes and the hand that held his launcher shook slightly at facing the undisputed and undefeated prize pupil.

Kai's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied his opponent, something about the boy seemed familiar to him.

_That's right. That's Mikhail, __Bryan__'s younger brother. Poor kid just arrived at the abbey a couple months ago. Boris must want to punish him for some reason, putting him in a doomed battle against me._

Kai smirked briefly as he readied his blade to launch._ Well, let's see what I can do to upset Boris's plans._

His blade rocketed towards the dish as Mikhail released his own. The students watching gasped as one as Kai's blue blade landed poorly near the edge of the dish. They couldn't believe their eyes, it seemed impossible that the skilled blader had made such a bad launcher. Moving closer, the students crowded the edge of the dish, hoping to see the mighty champion fall to the newbie.

As he caught Boris staring intently at him, Kai quickly hid his smirk. However, he didn't change his plan. Even though Kai was again blading for his grandfather, he kept free will. He had decided that he wanted to try to protect the young boy from at least one beating. _Maybe he'll leave before he is put in this situation again._

After a few weak attacks, Kai allowed the boy's green blade to push his wobbling blade off the edge of the dish. Picking up his blade, he swept a mocking bow in Boris' direction and stood quietly waiting to be hauled off. It didn't take long for two large men to reach him and start hauling him off. When he was almost to the exit of the hall, he heard a sharp cry behind him. He looked back to see the small, lilac haired boy struggling in the arms of two other large men. The boy's older brother tried to push the men off, but was easily knocked aside.

"What are you doing? He won, he beat that bastard! You can't punish him for winning, even if that bastard is related to Lord Voltaire."

The cries of the older brother faded as Kai was dragged further down the corridor. He was thrown unceremoniously into a small cell. Surprisingly, the men left without inflicting so much as a bruise. Hours passed as Kai tried to figure out why he hadn't been punished for his defeat. Finally, the cell door opened to reveal his grandfather.

"Kai, I am sorely disappointed with you."

"Fuck you," Kai was getting tired of his grandfather's pompous speeches.

"I am through treating you with kid gloves. I want you to understand the severity of your crime and be prepared for your punishment."

"There is no mercy on a battlefield," Voltaire motioned to the guards behind him. "Mercy is for the weak and I won't allow you to be weak."

The guards stepped forward to throw another boy into the cell. Kai instinctively reached up to catch the light body of the small boy. Messy lilac hair spilled across the child's face, sticking to the trails of blood that ran down it. The boy's chest moved shallowly with each ragged breath.

"Now that you understand your crime, it is time for you to accept your punishment," Voltaire continued, not wasting a glance at the dying child in Kai's arms. "In two weeks time, you will return to Japan for the summer. I have heard from Gavriil of your friendship with a young boy who holds a strong animal spirit. As punishment, I expect you to battle him and win. If you refuse, Nadya's fate will be the same as this child. If you lose, you will share his fate. But bear in mind, if you attempt to show your friend mercy, you will be lose more than his friendship." 

With his threats delivered, Voltaire left the cell, slamming the door behind him. Kai remained frozen in the dark, his mind raging like a tiger in a cage. More than the physical darkness threatened to overwhelm him as he clutched the fragile, injured boy to his chest.

_It's my fault! I didn't consider how Grandfather would react. He tortured this boy because of me, to prove a point to me. That bastard! Why didn't I see it? Why didn't I just battle him? He would have been hurt, but not like this._

Kai pulled the boy closer, feeling his heart beating erratically. It felt like a bird's wings fluttering uselessly against a cage. He wanted to scream, wanted to cry, but could do nothing. Nothing but hold the child's bloody body until finally he felt nothing. 

No grief, no anger, no fear.

_No heartbeat._

------------------tbc

I hope you all enjoyed. I said I'd try to get this out by Christmas. Guess I didn't succeed, but I don't think the day after is too terribly bad. Besides, I think this was probably too dark for Christmas anyways.

Am I starting to clear things up? Or is it just getting murkier? Believe me when I say there are so many clues scattered in the last few chapters, I'm running out of sneaky ways of giving the plot away. I guess I'll just have to start playing it straight. The next few chapters are going to get darker.

*DARKER?!?* O_O

Yep, darker! I said this would be torture and angst and I wasn't fooling around. I hope you stay with me, I promise eventual light at the end of the tunnel.

Translations Tips for the Needy:

Oniisan – means 'big brother'

Hideaki – (Japanese) means 'excellent and bright'

Isamu – (Japanese) means 'bravery'

-san – equivalent to 'mister/Mr'

Special Thanks to: (I'll try to clear up any misconceptions here as well)

**~Sheep~:** *sniff* What great praise! I almost made you cry. Get the tissues ready. There's more darkness ahead. Thanks for saying I have talent as a writer. I'm actually thinking of some plots that I would love to be able to put down on paper (not post). I'm just a bit timid right now in that regard.

**Dawn35:** I'm estimating a reunion of the 'Breakers in about two chapters! Can't wait to see it ^_^ Not sure how to write it ;_; Guess you'll have to stick around and see.

**Kai the Ruthless Blader:** I think we have a deal. Please see above reviewer for answer to your question. They will definitely find each other. Thanks for the good wishes. I hope you had a great Christmas

**DragonBlade****: I'll agree, Kai's team mates just can't quite seem to get to him. Never fear, it will happen. As far as Kai torture goes, be afraid, be very afraid. ^_~**

**Three A's, two C's and PDBF:** *giggles* Poor PDBF *there,there* So? Any clues now? Remember, you had the first line right….there's Kai and? *giggles* Boy, I just love torturing people, first Kai and now my reviewers. ^_^

**Kai's-gurl-Riece: **Sorry, Kai's no vampire. I have that cute little, warm-bloody bishie right here *holds out bishie Kai before pulling him back for a tight hug* HAHAhaha

**Othela****: Thanks, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too. Happy New Year.**

**SquirrelOfShadows****: *giggles* So you got a hold of some more Naruto, ne? Don't you just love our bishie Sasuke!! I get so upset that they spend so much time on Naruto and so little on him *Wah!!!!***

**LaDiNi****: The Kai Torture Express is running ahead, full stream. Don't worry, I'll pull Kai out of that tank soon. It's hard to do suitable torture when he's essentially floating. Guess I'm stuck with mental torments for a while. Don't worry about Rei and the others, they'll be together soon enough. Thank you for the good thoughts you sent my way. I had a lovely Christmas!**

**Cherrii****: *uses polishing clothe to make stars SHINE* Can't let you get tarnished ^_^ Hope you enjoyed!**

**Fey Phantom:** *laughs* I like recycling my quotes. If you look back, a lot of quotes get reused, partially for the effect they create and partially to draw the mind to who said them and why. Like I said, I love to leave clues. ^_~ *rubs hands together* Now… I would hesitate to make the distinction that only humans and dolphins have sex for pleasure. I would say that since, genetically, chimps and other similar species are similar to humans that they must have very similar chemical make-ups. Another animal example is dogs; if reproduction is pure instinct and involves no pleasure, why would two male dogs 'get it on?' You do make a valid point for asexual creatures though. It is difficult to say if they feel anything even similar to pleasure. How would one test. Viruses are also similar, they reproduce, seemingly with no other reason than just to multiple.  Of course, with such microscopic and foreign creatures, who can say if they have feelings or not. If you poured salt on a slug, would it feel pain? It can't scream, how would you know? The same can be argued for pleasure. ^_^ Having fun? 

**Icy blade anonymous1250:** I couldn't agree with you more. I love every review I get, but I truly treasure those that are creative and in depth. It really makes me feel like the person saw something in my story. Let me clear up the eye thing for you. Kai and Nadya are introduced in chapter 8. Kai has dark blue hair and hazel (changing) eyes and Nadya had black hair and black eyes. Kai had the same eyes as his mother, hazel (hers also change color) Hazel eyes generally appear green. I will eventually tell you how they turned red, but that's in a bit. I will do my best to resolve all the mysteries for you. If you are unclear of anything, feel free to ask me. I'll either clear it up, or tell you to wait and see ^_~  I guess, maybe, Takao isn't a complete idiot. Impetuous, maybe, more than idiotic. But compared to Kai….there's just no contest! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's a bit choppy to me, but I just wanted to lighten it a bit and give out some more info. I hope you continue to enjoy, there's a lot of darkness ahead.

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: ***laughs* Oh yeah! You just try and make me, you and your little ferret too *giggles insanely* Don't worry, Kai will be released from his prison soon. And it won't be long before he bumps into the 'Breakers again. *MWAHahahahah*

**Yohkenshin01: **Welcome to my story, otherwise known as Kai's Hell. I'm glad you found me. I hope you enjoy the pic ^_^

O_O WOW! That was a long chapter. With so much info to reveal, they may continue to stay long. I hope you guys stay with me to enjoy them!

*grins sheepishly*

I forgot to say it last time. Thanks for the reviews. Please don't forget to leave a little light on your way out. Kai, and I, are going to need it in the darkness ahead. Bring the Sun!!

The next chapter will be **Keep Your Thorns**


	19. Keep Your Thorns

**Disclaimer:** Do you know? I think the true torture in my fic is me having to state over and over that I don't own Kai. *Wai!!!*

**Warning:** This chapter is mostly revelations, slight torture. Think of it as me letting you take a big breath before we spiral into darkness. Aren't I nice? ^_~

**Author's Note:** *claps* Bravo! My first reader to get all my subtle and not-so-subtle clues. (well, not ALL) Congrats and huggle rights with my bishie Kai to LaDiNi!!! She is the first reader to figure out the bloodlines (at least the first I know of ^_^) Don't bother reading the reviews, it's not there ;P *giggles* She went back and read through my torturously long fic again and figured it out. For anyone who likes a challenge, please feel free to read it all again *_* Or, you can read this chapter *laughs* LaDiNi, I just had to add the diagrams in for your sake!

*bows low* Please enjoy!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XIX: Keep Your Thorns**

The night was quiet. The spring was still so new that the night carried a deep chill. All the lights were out in the traditional Japanese home letting the peace of the night carry through it. A tall, graceful silhouette moved easily through the house. His soft footsteps would have remained unheard if not for the absolute stillness of the night. Quietly, so as not to disturb his guests, Hideaki opened the sliding door to see the four boys sleeping peacefully on the floor on small futons.

Hideaki had talked into the late hours of the night with the children. But no matter what he said, they were still determined to go back to the chateau to find their friend. The late hour, along with his desire to protect them from their foolish quest, had led him to invite the boys to spend the night in his home. To his surprise, they had agreed.

_The serious boy, Rei, seems to be the spokesman for the group. If the outspoken boy, Takao I think, had his way, they would have left immediately to go investigate that house. They remind me so much…_

A sad smile graced his face as he watched the boys sleep. It had been so long, he hadn't realized how much he missed the energy and enthusiasm that a child could bring. Somehow, over the last few years, he had allowed a pall to come over him. It had been easier to just grieve and try to forget. 

_He would have been just a little older than them…_

With one last look at the slumbering children, Hideaki closed the door and turned to walk away. But before he had even taken a step, he found himself face to face with his brother. From his burning crimson eyes, Hideaki could tell Isamu was angry.

"Why did you invite them to stay?"

"Oniisan, it was too late to send them away. They haven't done anything wrong, they're just kids."

"Hideaki-otouto, you have always been too naive. You think everyone is innocent."

"No, I just don't think everyone is bad," Hideaki replied. 

"And that has always been your weakness, a weakness that you almost let destroy you."

Hideaki looked down, not able to meet his brother's angry gaze. In a way his brother was right, it had been his belief in the good of others that allowed the girl to seduce him. 

_Despite my family's warnings, I couldn't believe that she would hurt me. She was so beautiful, so elegant, even at fifteen. I think it was her eyes that bewitched me. They were so deep, so full of sorrow. Her emotions seemed to be so easy to read in their changing hues. I thought we were in love, but then she just vanished. I was so worried. I went to the chateau. But instead of finding her, I was almost killed by that man. I couldn't believe it, it was a trap. If my brother hadn't followed me with Zephyr, I don't know if I would have gotten away from him. He fought like a demon._

"You may be right," Hideaki admitted reluctantly. "But I can't change who I am."

"Ran said the same thing to me once," Isamu's eyes seemed to lose some of their fury as he released a bitter laugh. "My son could be so stubborn sometimes. He really took after his uncle. He was just as bad as you when it came to listening to advice."

-----------------------------

*ba-bump* *ba-bump*

Even though he couldn't hear, Kai could still feel his heartbeat reverberating through his body. He used its rhythm to focus, pulling himself out of his memories. _Maybe hallucinations would have been better…_

He had no idea how long he had been in his prison. Time had stopped for him, but he still refused to give in. He tried to focus his thoughts, tried to bring back some of the memories of the times he had spent with Nadya and Ran. Anything to take him away from the darkness that seemed ready to consume him.

Cruel laughter echoed through him and he realized that, once again, he was no longer alone. The glass became transparent, revealing Hedeon standing by the control console.

"Your grandfather told me to come check on you. Are you enjoying your time in there?"

Unable to verbally answer his tormentor, Kai settled for eloquently giving him the finger.

"I'm glad to see you've retained your spirit," Hedeon laughed. "I told Voltaire that you wouldn't be broken by some overgrown test tube."

A quick flurry of typing caused the water around Kai to begin draining away. Kai felt himself released from its buoyancy and came to his knees within the glass cylinder. He began to cough and gag violently as his body rejected the fluid that had been sustaining him, his lungs hungering for air.

"You grandfather decided he was done trying to persuade you. He has decided to take the decision out of your hands."

Once the fluid was completely drained, the glass cylinder split open in front of him. Kai had no time to respond to his release. Before he could even rise to his feet, Hedeon grabbed him by the neck and his dislocated shoulder, dragging him out into the room.

Laying Kai down on a nearby table, Hedeon quickly secured him with restraints. He gave him a long look before turning to leave. At the door he stopped, hesitating.

"I want you to keep in mind that you deserve this, Kai," Hedeon glared at the injured boy. "You could have at least given her a chance to escape. You didn't need to lock her in her room to burn to death. If it wasn't for you, she could have gotten out. I could have gotten to her. I just wanted you to think on that while you still have the opportunity. All of this, it's only what you deserve."

There was no caustic reply from the captive blader. No quick denial. Crimson eyes were wide with shock as Hedeon left the room, locking the door behind him.

----------------------------------

Amber eyes glowed intently in the darkness. Rei lay quietly feigning sleep as he listened intently to the soft voices beyond the screen. He and the others had discussed staying at the house, and while they agreed it would be best to stay, they also agreed to be cautious and take turns on fire watch. Rei had taken second shift and had just recently been awakened by Takao who had been on first watch.

Rei found the conversation between the two brothers very interesting. He could easily tell the two apart. Hideaki had a very rich, melodious voice, one that seemed made for song. His older brother, Isamu, might have had just as rich a voice, but Rei couldn't tell. He seemed to always speak with harsh, angry tones that distorted his true voice.

As he listened, the conversation turned to the elusive son. Rei wished that he and the others had thought to research the Houo family when they were investigating Kai's family. He had thought it was strange that the name had been brought up twice in the research on Voltaire, but he had dismissed it. At the time, there were other things weighing on his mind. Now that they had run into the Houo family, Rei realized that he might have made a huge oversight.

Pulling Dranzer out of his pocket, Rei studied the blade thoughtfully. He wished he had a connection with the blade. There were too many strange coincidences lately. He wanted to talk things over with the phoenix. 

_Maybe Dranzer can clear some of this up. I need to find out what the connection is between Kai's family and the Houo clan. _

He looked over at Kenny, hoping the small brunette would still be awake. Rei was disappointed to see that he was sleeping peacefully. Worst of all, was the fact that he had Dizzi in a bear hug as he slept.

_Great. I guess I'll have to wait till morning to try to talk to Dranzer. I really don't want to wake someone else up, just because my thoughts are running wild._

Rei continued to listen to the conversation coming from outside the room. The voices were soft, but clearly audible.

"Oniisan, there's something I need to show you."

Rei listened as the voices became softer, finally fading into nothingness, as the soft footsteps moved away. Though he was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to overhear anything else, Rei was glad to have the silence of the night return.

_Even if I can't talk to Dranzer right now, that doesn't stop me from trying to figure out some things on my own. I have to try to organize what I know so that it fits together better. _

Rei lay quietly trying to sort through everything he knew, but found it difficult to link it together in a logical way. Frustrated, he finally got up and, taking his blanket with him, moved to the sliding door that led to the porch outside. Opening the door to let the moonlight in, Rei sat in the doorway leaning back against the frame. Rei reached into a pocket and withdrew a small sketchbook and pen.

_Alright, let's try this again. Somehow, I think the key to this is figuring out the relationship between Voltaire and the Houo family. From Kenny's research, I know that both Voltaire's mother and wife were supposed to marry into the Houo family but didn't for some unknown reason. That can't be a coincidence, but I just don't know the significance of it. _

Rei looked down at the partial diagram he had started of Voltaire and his family. It was a very paltry family tree. There were just too many question marks. He knew Kai's mother and grandparents, but he didn't know anything about Kai's father. 

_Maybe a timeline of some sort would help. Now, if Kai is 14, then that means if his mother hadn't died she'd be about 29 or 30 now. And I guess that would make his grandfather about 54 or 55 years old. Damn! I feel like I'm grasping at straws here! How do I link this to the Houo family?_

Taking a deep breath, Rei tried to calm himself. He searched for something that he could use to help show a relationship between the two families in the timeline.

_Wait a minute. I know that that house was build next to the Houo family about 35 years ago. That's about the time that Voltaire's mother, Kuraiko, died. Didn't Kenny say he used to travel a lot between __Russia__ and __Japan__? He must have built the house then. I bet that's how he met Hotaru. He never seems to do anything without a reason. Did he build it so he could meet her? No, that's too simple an answer, I'm sure. Hmmm, but I do remember Kenny saying that Kai's mother, Marya, used to spend her summers in __Japan__. I bet it was at that house. _

Rei's eyes widened as his mind followed that trail of thought to its conclusion.

_Could Kai's father be from the Houo family? Isamu and Hideaki are about the right age. Is that how the families are linked? Didn't Hideaki say Isamu's son was missing? No, that can't be right. Hideaki said the boy went missing in the woods, but I know Kai ran away from the abbey. And, thanks to Dranzer, I also know that Kai's mother died in the fire he caused. Isamu's wife killed herself._

Rei stared down at the mess of scribbles running across the page. It felt like he was close to figuring out something. But each time he thought he had an answer, another conflict or question would pop up. He stifled a yawn and looked at his watch.

_Almost time for Max's shift. I know I'm close, maybe Dranzer can help fill in the missing pieces in the morning. I'm not getting anywhere on my own. There are just too many coincidences and questions. What is the link between Hiwatari and Houo? In fact, their very name is sort of a weird coincidence, Houo, phoenix…It has to mean something. _

Feeling sleep trying to overtake him, he moved to shake Max awake. Thankfully, the blond blader woke with minimal grumbling. Rei returned to his futon and quickly fell into a fitful sleep. His dreaming mind trying to unravel the puzzle of questions he hadn't been able to solve awake.

---------------------------

Kai's mind raced as Hedeon's words echoed in his thoughts.

_I don't remember that. I thought I had remembered everything about that time. How could I not remember locking her in? It doesn't make sense._

His thoughts raced in circles as he tried to bring more details forward from that night in the abbey. But no matter how hard he concentrated, he just couldn't remember locking the door.

He was pulled from his memories by the sound of a lock opening. Looking up, Kai saw several men in white coats walking in. None of the men looked at him, they were deeply involved in a very technical conversation. Although Kai tried to ask questions, tried to demand release, the men continued to ignore him. They treated him as an object, almost like some sort of life-sized doll.

The men were very efficient. Each seemed to have a specific task and flowed past Kai, quickly completing each objective and then moving on. Kai felt lost in a whirlwind as the random faces in white jackets moved around him. The technical jargon they tossed about only added to his confusion. After being trapped in that prison, deprived of all his senses, the sudden onslaught of touch, noise, light, everything seemed overwhelming, somehow surreal.

"Get him on some monitors, I want to know his sats."

"Hand me some LR, his BP is still low."

A sharp pain stabbed at his arms. Two men placed IV's in his arms, but were gone before Kai could get much of a look. He felt a burning pain and felt the skin at his chest tugging. Another man was lost in concentration repairing his torn sutures. He heard an absent minded comment by his ear.

"This may hurt a little."

Kai couldn't restrain the short cry of surprise and pain. In a way he was glad to hear his own voice. Even though he had the habit of not speaking much, it had been hard to have the ability taken away from him. Of course, the ability to sound his voice didn't take away his irritation at the people causing him pain. He turned to send a death glare at the man who had snapped his dislocated shoulder so callously back into place. He ended up glaring at the back of another random white coat as the scientist walked away from him.

"Ah, I see we are almost ready."

"Yes, Lord Voltaire," came the groveling answer. "We are finished. We were just awaiting you and the device."

Kai refused to look over at his grandfather. He knew that was exactly what Voltaire would want. Instead he put on a bored look. He was determined to defy his grandfather any way he could.

"Running out of ways to play, grandfather?" he sneered.

"Of course not, my boy," Voltaire laughed at Kai's attempt to remain aloof. "This is just merely one of many."

"Although," he added as he placed a small container in Kai's line of sight. "I am getting rather bored with our games up until now. It's time we try something different."

With deliberate motions, Voltaire unlocked the box and lifted out two objects. The first Kai knew intimately. 

_Black Dranzer. What's he playing at? I told him I wouldn't battle with that cursed thing._

The second object was completely unknown to Kai. It looked like a small, silver spike, or thorn. The spike was about 5 cm long with a base that was 1 cm in diameter and narrowed to a sharp point. It had a subtle curve that seemed to make it look vicious, almost alive in its ferocity.

"Do you like it, Kai?" Voltaire held the silver thorn up to catch the light. "My scientists worked very hard to develop it for me. I'm quite impressed with their work this time."

"Hn"

"Don't act so unimpressed," Voltaire laughed at Kai's response. "You don't understand the full meaning behind it. Think of this as Black Dranzer's talon."

Kai's eyes showed his confusion as Voltaire held the silver spike in front of his eyes. 

_Great, now he's delusional._

"This is a special alloy. Its specific make up is complex. However, all you need to know is that the most important element in it is the small piece of Black Dranzer's bit that was included in its forging. Since you are so childishly refusing to re-establish your bond to Black Dranzer yourself, I feel obliged to take that decision out of your hands."

 Kai struggled against his bonds, but he was too tightly restrained. He found he was unable to move even an inch as the scientists approached him from all sides. His grandfather reverently gave the silver talon to a man in a white lab coat that had been fawning at his side. Glaring up with defiant, crimson eyes, Kai snarled as they painted the area below his neck with a solution that was the color of old blood.

"Do your worst, kisama," he growled. "I got away before, I'll do it again. I won't let you use me again."

"And of course, running away worked so well for you before, did it?"

Voltaire signaled his men to move forward. Kai felt a sharp stab as the talon's point pierced his skin at the sternal notch. His jaw was clenched, his eyes tightly closed, as he felt a searing black flame enter his chest. As the scientist continued to force the spike into him, he felt the flames growing, twisting serpent-like around his heart. The pain was intense, as was his grief to feel his bond with Black Dranzer renewed. He felt the fragile remnants of his bond with Dranzer burned away. Kai let his rage, sorrow, grief, out in a scream that echoed through the room.

_No! Leave me alone! I don't want to battle! I don't want the Darkness! No!_

Kai's soul tried to flee deeper into the hidden recesses within, tried to escape the encroaching darkness. He searched desperately for something, anything to fight the darkness with. However, no matter where he ran, he only found more darkness. He could find no trace of Dranzer. The bright fires that had guided him for so long were gone. In a shadowed corner in the deepest reaches of his heart, hidden away even from himself, his soul wept. 

From his hiding spot, Kai could hear a soft voice calling out to him. It seemed so familiar, so warm. He reached for it with an ethereal hand and felt himself drawn into the memory's warm embrace.

*********

_"Kai? Kai, please wake up. We have to get out of here. We have to leave now."_

*********

When Kai finally lost consciousness, the scientist stepped back, giving way to their master. Voltaire smiled down at the small circle of silver that appeared at the base of Kai's throat. It looked so innocuous, like a spot of silver painted on his skin. Just to look at it, you would never know that it reached into Kai's heart, his very soul.

-------------------- tbc

Happy New Year!!!! (okay, so I'm a little late.)

*laughs*

So, how many people knew? How many still don't? 

*giggles* 

I'm pretty much done making mysteries, I'm moving into my solving mysteries chapters now. Have I muddied the waters enough? Is everyone still intrigued? I hope so. The fun is just beginning.

 @_@ Wow, I just realized something. I started this fic in Sep. @_@  4 months. And here I thought I was doing a good job updating ;_; Thanks for everyone who has been reading and enjoying my story so far. Some of you are new to my story, and some of you have been with me from the very beginning. Please know that your reviews are keeping me energized and pushing me to do my best with every chapter. Thank you!!!

Special Thanks to:

**Cosmos angel:** Don't worry, the mystery on Ran is not too far off. I'm glad you are enjoying. I hope this chapter was interesting. Ja ne!

**Faith:** *_* Thanks for the great review. I'm glad you are enjoying. Catch ya next chappie!

**LaDiNi****: *giggles* You like the diagram and the timeline? I had to throw that in after you sent me the diagram you made ^_^ I admit to having a devious mind *evil laughter inserted here* Sorry for the torture *not really* It did make you read my story again (and again and again). *laughs* Now you have to see how quickly you can spot my next mystery. Is it the eyes? The phoenix? Ran or Nadya? *Mwahaha* Stay tuned and find out ^_~**

**Kai's-gurl-Riece: **Of course he's mortal. Can't you tell, I'm sure making him bleed enough to prove it. *giggles* Poor Kai, here we or fighting over if his alive and being tortured to death, or undead and being tickled (@_@ what happens when the undead are tortured?) Catch next chapter!

**Droopy1389:** I'm so happy you are enjoying the story! It's was nice chatting with you, but the pic didn't work through the email ;_; Good luck on your story. Ja ne!

**Fey Phantom: ***holds up flashlight* Got it, but no batteries ;_; Sorry for the slow update, I hope your training goes well. (yea! Water polo) Think of this as something to look forward to when you return home ^_^ As for the philosophy that inanimate objects have feelings, that is not really that far fetched. The native Americans believed that spirits inhabited all of nature. Also, if you watch much anime, many times you'll notice sweatdrops or other such things on inanimate objects like lamps or tables. Ancient Japanese believed that spirits inhabited everything, therefore they would have feelings. Interesting, ne?

**SquirrelOfShadows****: *pouts* Sasuke is dumb!?! I shouldn't even update. But I can't punish others for your bad judgment ^_~ I guess with the millions of people in the world, here would have to be Someone who likes Naruto. *whispers* I bet you like Takao too, ne? *giggles* At least I know you have the good taste to enjoy my story ^_~**

**Iray**** Kentai Moon: O_O Yeah! It's so fun to find a fic that brings back what you love about a series!! I'm glad that mine has given you some enjoyment. Kai is definitely worth revisiting! Stay with me, I hope you like the path I have in store for him.**

**Icy blade anonymous1250:** *_* Another fantastic review *_* I'm so happy!! I'm glad it's not too overwhelming or ^_~ surreal ^_~ (I had to throw that in the chappie because of you, I couldn't resist) I hope this chapter dispelled any confusion about Kai, Ran and everyone's relationships. And yep, this chateau is the same one he spent his summers, and the same one his mother stayed at. I'm going to have a lot of things interlinking with each other. I'm thrilled that you feel I'm giving convincing and logical reasons behind Kai's cool façade. Some are planned, some are last minute inspirations. As far as moving at a good pace. I sort of set myself up for that. When I chose to use the lyrics of the song, I set certain limitations to myself. I have to use them in order and throughout the song. It's making me write at a good pace. *laughs* Even if it's a bit frustrating at times making the connections with the lyric and the heart of the chapter. Stick around, I hope you enjoy where the darkness takes us. Ja ne!

**Jae****: Thanks!! I had a very nice holiday, I hope you did too. I always enjoy your reviews. I'm glad you feel the rhythm of the fic is not too slow, or too fast ^_~ It's definitely a challenge. *laughs* If you can believe it, when I started I had to fight against rushing to the chapters I wanted to show everyone. One of those chapters was the destruction of the abbey (another is coming up). I really wanted to get to the fun and meaningful ones. But now that I'm in the heart of those chapters, I find I don't want to finish them (does that make sense?) I've planned them for so long, I'm sort of intimidated with how they will turn out (success or utter failure). I hope you let me know what you think. Stay with me. Jan e!**

**Dawn35: ***giggles* It is definitely fun to see Kai in his true defiant glory. No one can give more attitude then our bishonen Kai ^_~ Stay tuned. More defiance, punishment, torture and battles are coming ^_^

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: **O_O What a vicious ferret! I know exactly how you feel. Voltaire needs to Die!! Don't worry, evil will always destroy itself ^_~

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: **If the sun is dead, I'm in big trouble. I need the light!! Catch you next chappie!

**Artemis347: ***laughs* I can't believe you have the will power to read a couple chapters and take a break. I can never do that. I'm the type of person that reads until 5 am to finish a story and then gets upset the next day when I have nothing to read *giggles* You are STRONG! Thanks again for the reviews, it's fun to see your reaction to each chapter. I hope you like the latest ones as well. Ja!

**Ashla****: *_* Wow, I kept you up all night!! A girl after my own heart *laughs* I do that too, and boy is the next day hard -_- I'm glad you found my fic. I am having so much fun digging into the why's of Kai's past. Killing Bryan's little brother was sort of a last minute decision, but I felt it would be a good explanation of why Bryan hated Kai so much. As you can tell, I love digging into what makes people who they are. I hope I am being true to Kai and everyone else's characters. Now, don't hyperventilate or anything, but Kai's path is going to get worse. Take a deep breath and prepare yourself!**

**DragonBlade****: *hands**** over a tissue* You might want to keep a box handy ^_~ Catch you next chapter!******

**Ruth 4 kai: **Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the rest of my story ^_^

Okay, this one took a while. It was hard to get it to be at least satisfactory. The next few might be about the same time frame. I want to get them just right, and anyone out there who writes knows, the author is their own worst critic. 

Thanks for hanging in there with me. I'll get the next one out as soon as I can make it worthy of posting (or semi-worthy if it's taking too long ^_~)

As always…Thank you for enjoying my story. Please don't forget to leave a little light on your way out (since my flashlight is missing it's batteries). I'm going to need all the light I can for the upcoming chapters. Bring the Sun!!!

Next chapter will be **Running** Away.****


	20. Running Away

**Disclaimer: **Don't own.****

**Warning:** Darkness.

**Author's Note:** Ready? 

*dodges rotten fruit* 

Sorry, dumb question. Please enjoy.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XX: Running Away**

The night had passed uneventfully. The bright light of the newly dawned sun flooded through the eastern windows of the chateau. The peaceful sound of birds greeting the morning filtered into the house. It was so early, it seemed that there was no one yet awake. Well, almost no one. Never one to let the day pass him by, Voltaire was already up. He strode through the halls with a smug grin on his face.

_Finally got a good night's sleep. I should have just quit playing with the boy a week ago. I was being too lenient, trying to let him come around on his own. But it doesn't matter anymore, he belongs to me now._

His firm footsteps clicked against the warm hardwood steps as he continued on upstairs. He passed the first door on his right without paying any heed to it. The room had been shut up over four years ago and had remained undisturbed since. Of course, Voltaire could care less about those kinds of details, his focus was on the door beyond it. 

Entering the second door on the right, he smiled to see that everything was as he had dictated. Last night, he had given Hedeon the task of taking care of Kai, and, as usual, Hedeon had fulfilled his task well. After the scientists had finished caring for the boy's injuries and cleaned him up, Hedeon had brought him upstairs to his room. 

Voltaire entered the room, giving a brief nod of acknowledgement to Hedeon who was sitting on guard by the door. Crossing to the bed, he looked down on the boy lying before him with a smile of pride, the pride of ownership.

The scene before him was serene. Kai was lying on top of a brilliant scarlet and gold coverlet; his head turned slightly away, his mouth softly open in a facade of sleep. He had been dressed with meticulous care in dark, midnight blue pants and a tight, V-neck, black tank. Fingerless, black gloves covered his forearms, extending up past his elbow. A black scarf, a dark reflection of his usual white one, was in place at his neck and trailed across his still form. The outfit itself was merely another deception, aimed at hiding all signs of abuse and injury. 

A flash of sunlight shining up from the bed drew Voltaire's eyes. He hadn't paid attention earlier because he had expected to see silver at the base of Kai's throat. Now, though, he noticed that it wasn't the end of Black Dranzer's talon that he saw glinting in the morning light, but something else entirely. Hanging down below the scarf, concealing the coin-sized spot of the silver talon, was a scarred, silver locket. Voltaire turned to Hedeon, inquiring with a raised eyebrow. 

"A leash?"

"A reminder."

Voltaire merely laughed at the terse reply before turning his attention back to the unconscious boy. With the subterfuge of his outfit, the only sign of abuse was a pale, bluish-purple bruise on his left cheek. And even that was difficult to distinguish because of the blue markings that were permanently concealing his true face. Brushing back the slate gray hair from Kai's cheek, Voltaire leaned closer to speak softly to him alone.

"It's almost time, Kai."

With one last proprietary look at the boy, Voltaire turned to leave. He indicated wordlessly for Hedeon continue his guard of the boy. Hedeon nodded gravely and maintained his position by the door. 

"I'll return soon, Kai. Be ready." Voltaire left without waiting for a reply, somehow knowing there would be none.

And he was right, there was no reply. Kai was unaware of the world around him. He had retreated into the deepest reaches of his soul, and then he went beyond. A soft, remembered voice had led him to a memory, a time when he had once begged the world to stop. But like everything else back then, the world had cruelly ignored his plea. Time had passed and he had lost that moment. But none of that mattered anymore, nothing mattered but that he had found that moment again. He sat curled up with his arms around his knees, embraced by ethereal arms. Leaning into the soft embrace, he closed his eyes, closed all his connections to the world around him. Kai let the memory flow over him, through him; the sweet scent of cherry blossoms, the gentle touch, the loving presence, the cool embrace.

******* 4 years ago********

The night hours were passing slowly for Kai. His grandfather had released him from his cell some time ago, but it hadn't been soon enough. Kai had remained in that cold, dark prison throughout the entire last day holding the still form of the boy who had died in his arms, had died because of his defiance. Now plagued with his grandfather's threats, he could find no comfort, awake or asleep. He wandered in and out of dreams, finding each one becoming successively more painful. 

~~~~~~~~~

Kai knelt on the hard floor, his arms locked tightly around the light body. He could feel a strange, wet warmth flowing down through his hands, falling to pool around his knees. Soft breath brushed against his chest and he looked down to see the small, lilac haired boy named Mikhail in his arms. Guilt consumed him as he realized that it was his fault the boy had been tortured and was now dying in this prison. Pulling the boy close, he hugged him tightly, trying to somehow comfort the child. He closed his eyes, wordlessly begging the boy for forgiveness.

"Why?" a soft voice whispered into his arms. "What did I do to deserve this? I only wanted to be your friend."

Pulling back from the embrace, Kai's eyes grew wide as the lilac hair began to darken to black. Crimson eyes opened to stare accusingly at him. Shaking his head, Kai desperately wanted to deny the blame he saw, but he couldn't speak. He knew the truth; Ran was dying because of him.

~~~~~~~~~

Kai woke abruptly, his eyes searching the room frantically. He felt his shirt clinging to his back with sweat, his hair hanging in his eyes. Curling up in bed, he tried to slow his breathing, tried to find some reassurance in the fact that it was only a dream. But he could find no comfort, he would face his friend in a beybattle in two weeks and he didn't know what to do. Wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to find some small comfort, Kai tried again to clear his mind. He longed for a dreamless sleep to take him away from his problems, even if only temporarily.

~~~~~~~~~

The darkness closed around him, his breath coming in short, sobbing breaths. Cold steel encircled his wrists, restraining him against the stone wall. He could feel hot tears running down his face like fire as he listened to the sound of someone struggling for air. The breathing became more erratic, a strange wetness began to underlay each gasp. Kai struggled against his bonds, fighting to reach the person lying before him. But no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't reach the form that remained hidden in shadows. 

"This is your fault, Kai," his grandfather's voice spoke dispassionately from outside the cell. "I told you what would happen if you defied me. You chose not to battle, now you must accept your punishment."

Kai could hear the other prisoner thrashing on the floor, heard the breaths coming faster and more desperate. He closed his eyes, wishing he could shut off his hearing, and was ashamed at his attempt to deny the death occurring before him. In that moment, silence fell. There was no movement in the shadows, no struggle for air. His eyes opened, appearing so dark that they were almost black. Soundlessly the cell door opened, spilling light into the room, finally revealing the one before him.

Skirt and blouse were torn, blood wreathing each rip and cut. Bruises and wounds showed on her arms and legs, the left leg was bent at an awkward angle. But beyond that, it was her face that tore at his heart. Blood and tears marred her beautiful face. Nadya's usually warm and loving black eyes were open, empty, staring glassily at nothing. Kai felt his entire world shatter as he raised his head to the uncaring heavens and screamed.

~~~~~~~~~~

"No!!!!!"

Clawing at his sheets, Kai tore himself away from the dream. He felt torn; desiring sleep to escape his dilemma, but only finding pain as he had to live through each possible choice. He lay back, trying to wipe away the image of Nadya's soulless eyes staring up at him. Fighting not to fall asleep, Kai realized it was a battle he couldn't win. He was too worn out from the previous day's events and soon found himself falling into another dream. As the new dream descended, so, too, did an odd sense of peace. Kai let himself be taken into the dream, praying for some sort of answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silence reigned in the cold night. There was no sound of sobbing, no cries of pain, no gasping breaths. Moonlight flooded the room, illuminating the small, broken body lying on the table. Blood flowed from the table, running down to pool on the floor. It glowed like quicksilver in the pale light. 

Kai felt no pain, no sensation of needles, no burning chemicals flowing through his slight form. He felt no grief. Looking down at his own body frozen in death's grip, he found he felt nothing but relief. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kai? Kai, please wake up. We have to get out of here. We have to leave now."

The soft voice was accompanied by an even softer touch. Kai dragged himself from the fog of nightmares to stare up into concerned ebony eyes. Afraid that he had fallen into yet another dark dream, he instinctively pulled away. 

Nadya remained where she was, kneeling at his bedside. Seeing the fear and sorrow in his eyes, she waited patiently for the night terror to fade before reaching out with gentle arms and pulling him into an embrace.

"Shh, my Akemi," she whispered, "no more nightmares. I promise."

Kai allowed himself to relax for a moment in her arms, inhaling the faint scent of cherry blossoms that had always seemed to say 'this is home.' But he had learned too much since coming to the abbey to allow himself more than that moment. Reluctantly, he withdrew from her embrace.

"Your wrong, Nadya," he answered her. He was tired of hiding things from her, tired of lying. "The nightmares have taken me and I'm afraid."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Nadya bowed her head, ashamed that she had allowed someone she loved to endure so much pain. Over the past few years, she had tried to deceive herself. She told herself that Kai wasn't hiding anything from her, that Lady Marya truly loved him, that Gavriil was only training him. 

_That it would get better_. 

But ever since her own beating at Lord Voltaire's orders, she had come to understand the truth of her situation. She knew that Kai had lied to her, that the training and beatings were only getting worse. More than that, she realized that it was her fear that had kept her there. She had been afraid that Kai would be in more danger if she tried to leave with him, and leaving without him had never been an option.

She began to subtly investigate everything involved with the abbey. What she learned had chilled her to the core and terrified her about Kai's safety. When she had learned of the child that had been killed and the ultimatum that Kai's grandfather had issued, she knew that it was time. No matter the risk, she had to take Kai and run. Tonight.

"Kai, I know what your grandfather wants. We have to get out of here. It's the only way."

Kai shook his head forlornly at her urgent whispers.

"No, it's no use. It's too dangerous."

Nadya almost wept when she saw his dark eyes, they were so empty of hope. She gave him a small shake.

"Kai, we are leaving here even if I have to knock you out and carry you piggy back."

Startled, Kai looked up at her, several responses at the tip of his tongue. However, he was not able to give voice to any of them. When his eyes met hers, he saw them sparkling wetly at him. Nadya seemed to be hovering between laughing and crying. He wondered if she was remembering all the times she had carried him to bed when he was little. Kai remembered.

"Alright, let's go. I'm too big to carry anyways."

Quickly, Kai got dressed while Nadya stuffed his backpack with clothes and other essential items. Overall, it took less than ten minutes. Shrugging into his backpack, Kai followed Nadya out into the corridor, delaying only long enough to sweep up his blue blade and stuff it into his pocket. 

Nadya's time observing the abbey had been well spent. She knew where the security cameras were located, when the guards would pass check points, she had even learned the pass code to the side entrance by the kitchens. Before anyone in the abbey was the wiser, she and Kai had fled out into the night, hands clasped tightly together. Kai left the place he had never called home without a single backward glance.

Their flight through the city was fast and full of fear, but overall, uneventful. Nadya couldn't quite believe their good fortune when they arrived at the train station with no sign of anyone following them. However, she still understood the need for caution. Because their escape had needed to be fast and silent, they had not spoken to each other since leaving the abbey. Now she spoke softly with Kai as they stood in the shadows across the street from the train station, it was important that he understood what she needed of him. Nadya had planned this for a long time and, though she was reluctant to let him leave her side, she knew they had to take precautions.

"Akemi, you understand the danger, right?" She spoke softly to him.

Kai's grave eyes met hers as he nodded wordlessly to her.

"From now on, you're Akemi. Understand? And you need to call me Oneesan."

Kais smiled at her instructions. He was more than happy to leave the name Kai behind. And though he would rather have called Nadya Mother, he was willing to call her Sister instead.

"Hai, Oneesan."

Nadya echoed his smile. She truly wanted him to call her mother, but knew that Voltaire would instruct people to look for a mother and son. It would be expected of her to try to pass herself off as his mother, so she knew she couldn't do the obvious.

"Alright, I'm going to buy tickets, but I don't want anyone to see us together at the ticket window. Akemi, I want you to enter first and take a seat at the bench farthest from the ticket window. It's next to the bathroom. Just wait for me there, I'll join you once I buy the tickets."

Nadya's eyes never left Kai as he crossed the street and entered the train station. As she watched, she realized that the child was no longer a child. He walked with firm steps, his eyes watching the environment around him. He moved like a predator; he had learned the rule of survival, if you are not the predator, you are the prey.

_He didn't deserve this. He's only nine, he should be able to enjoy being a child. Maybe when we get to safety…but not now. I can't do this alone, I need his strength. I need him to act as an adult. Maybe I'm as bad as his family._

Nadya watched Kai disappear into the train station. She made herself wait 5 minutes before following. With her heart pounding, she struggled to walk unhurriedly across the street and enter the building. She wanted to run, to check on Kai and make sure he was safe, but somehow she managed to resist the urge. 

Crossing to the ticket window, she kept her gaze focused ahead. She was relieved to see that their escape from the abbey had managed to get them to the station just in time for the last departures of the day. Scanning the destinations, Nadya bought three tickets using a false name. She really didn't pay much attention to where the train was going, as long as it took them far away. 

_Besides, if I don't know where we are going, then there is no way that they will be able to figure it out._

With tickets in hand, she turned and headed in the general direction of the bathrooms. Her eyes swept the benches looking for Kai and she felt a wave of relief when he sat up on the bench he had laid down on. She laughed, releasing her nervous tension and handed him the tickets.

"Three?" Kai looked up in confusion and quickly scanned the station.

"It's just a precaution, Akemi," Nadya smiled taking back one of the tickets. "In case Lord Voltaire sends someone here. If they ask if a woman came and bought two tickets, the attendant will say no."

Pocketing the extra ticket, Nadya took Kai's hand and pulled him up.

"Come on, our train leaves from the last platform, Platform 12. We'll go wait for it there."

Hand in hand, they walked to the distant platform. Both felt a sense of relief. Even though they hadn't boarded the train yet, they couldn't help but feel that they were almost out of danger. They had escaped the abbey, managed to make it across town undetected, and buy tickets. In 15 minutes, their train would arrive and they would be headed towards a new life. Fifteen minutes were never more important. 

Sitting on a low bench on the platform their train would leave from, Nadya and Kai allowed the sense of safety to relax them. Kai stifled a yawn but couldn't keep the lack of sleep from dragging down his eyelids. Nadya felt his body softly lean against hers. Reaching over, she draped an arm across his shoulder and pulled him closer. She smiled gently at the boy sleeping peacefully against her side. 

They remained like that until the squeal of metal as their train arrived woke Kai up. His eyes showed his confusion as he woke to the strange environment. Nadya's light laughter quickly brushed aside the confusion and he remembered everything. He smiled up at her and she couldn't help but return it. It was the smile she had always remembered when she thought of him; a smile full of innocent love, a smile that was reserved only for her. She hugged him quickly to hide her tears. She hadn't seen that smile in so long, it gave her all her hope back.

"Oneesan, where are we going?" Kai's voice was muffled against her chest, he was reluctant to move out of her embrace.

Nadya giggled at this and quickly wiped away her tears before pulling back. She kept her arm draped across his shoulder and watched as the passengers began to disembark from their train.

"I don't know, Akemi," she smiled down at him. "I guess we'll find out when we get there."

"What will we do when we get there?"

"When we get there, I'll let you know."

"Those aren't very good answers," Kai frowned up at her. "Shouldn't we go somewhere we can get help? Shouldn't we have some sort of plan?"

"Maybe," Nadya replied, turning away to watch as passengers began to board the train. "But I think a plan might be more dangerous for us. Your grandfather is very smart, so are the people that work for him. If we go somewhere that people know us, they'll find us. We need to start over. Begin a life where no one knows us, not even ourselves. It's going to be very hard, Akemi. I'm sorry, I wish there was another way."

Kai watched her profile as she spoke. He had gotten very good at reading people, so he knew she had not held anything back. Nadya had spoken to him as an adult and he knew he needed to act like one to earn the respect she was giving him.

"Can we go to Japan?" 

"Akemi, you understand you can't see anyone you know. That means you can't see"

"I know," Kai cut her off. "I won't be able to see Ran again. But we don't have to go to the chateau, Japan's huge. We can go anywhere. Please."

Nadya understood Kai's desire to go back. It was probably the only place he had ever been happy. She didn't want to take that happiness away from him. And besides, maybe, several years down the road, he could find Ran again.

"Alright," Nadya relented. "We'll go. But not right away. We will find some place far from here and start a new life. After we are able to save a little and establish our new identities, we'll talk about going to Japan."

Kai's reply was interrupted by the platform attendants. The train was about to depart and they were making the last calls to ensure all the passengers were aboard.

"Come on, Akemi. We can talk more on board."

Nadya stood and held out her hand to him. Smiling, he stood and took her hand.

"Hai, Oneesan."

Neither was aware that at that moment, the danger they had left behind was quickly catching up to them.

-------------

It was unfortunate that Kai's mother had decided to check on him that night. After learning of his recent punishment, she had gone to his room to see for herself how he was doing. Her ever faithful shadow had accompanied her to the small room and waited patiently outside for his mistress to come back out.

Lady Marya's visits with Kai were usually very short, but Gavriil was surprised to see her exiting the room after less than a minute. Years of being at her side let him read her in a way that no other could. He saw immediately that she was trying to hide something; she had never been very successful at keeping things from him. He could see a hint of sadness in her eyes and a tightness in her smile that signified resignation. 

"My Lady, what's wrong?" he grasped her arm before she could turn away from him.

"Nothing, Gavriil. Nothing at all."

Frowning, Gavriil allowed Marya to shrug out of his grip. She was hurt and hiding something from him. He couldn't allow that. He waited just long enough for her to pass out of sight before turning back to Kai's room. If she wouldn't tell him what was going on, he would just have to force it out of the boy.

When he had seen the room in disarray, he had known immediately what had happened. Gavriil had been furious at the boy who had callously abandoned his mother. Immediately, he had gone and reported the boy's disappearance to Lord Voltaire. Now, he and all the rest of Voltaire's security staff and trainers were scouring the city.

_Damned brat. He only cares about himself. I won't let him get away with hurting Lady Marya like that. I'll stop you, Kai. After all, I know how Nadya thinks. The others can waste their time at the airport and anywhere else they want to, I'll be the one to find you._

Gavriil stepped on the accelerator, ignoring the cursing of the man in the passenger seat. Voltaire had insisted that everyone search in pairs, so he had been forced to let the fool tag along. He knew he didn't need any help. He didn't even know the man's name, nor did he want to. His sole goal was to find Kai, find him and punish him.

"Man, didn't you hear me?" the man yelled at him. "Slow down! You're going to kill us, driving like that. Where the hell are we going anyway?"

Gavriil didn't deign to answer him. His eyes remained fixed on the road his car raced down, his thoughts moving just as quickly.

_She's leaving town tonight, it would be too dangerous to try to stay. Airports are useless. She'll know it's too hard to remain unseen there. A bus? No, it's too slow, she'll want to get away from here as quickly as she can. Hmmm….it can't be expensive, she won't have much money. Train! That's it, there's a train station across town from here!_

Abruptly, Gavriil turned at the next street, eliciting a squeal from the tires and more curses from man next to him.

"Man, what the fuck is your problem? Warn a person before you do that."

"Shut up," Gavriil turned briefly to send a death glare at the man beside him. _Idiot._

"S...sure, man, whatever you want," the other man leaned back in his seat. His eyes kept drifting back to Gavriil. He finally understood that the danger was not the road he was on, but rather it was the man sitting next to him.

In no time, they had arrived at the station. Gavriil left the car running and ran in to the ticket window, followed wordlessly by his 'partner.' The woman at the counter was no help. She didn't remember seeing a woman and child buying tickets. Cursing under his breath, Gavriil scanned the destinations, looking for some clue of where she might be headed.

_I know I'm not wrong, she's here somewhere. She won't have much money, she needs to go somewhere she can find help. She won't stay there, but she won't have much choice about going. Didn't she tell Kai once that she has family south of here? There's a train headed south and it's leaving in five minutes, that's got to be it._

Knowing he wouldn't be allowed on the train without a ticket, Gavriil quickly bought one and raced toward the platform where the train sat waiting. He was relieved that the station was practically empty. It would be easier to spot his targets and there would be less people who might get in his way. As he ran, he allowed his eyes to scan the area, quickly taking in and dismissing everything around him. He stared intently at everyone he passed, no disguise would fool him. He automatically dismissed the incoming trains and their passengers, they were unimportant.

Finally, he reached the train. Handing an attendant his ticket, he climbed onboard to search. He allowed himself a crooked smile as he heard his 'partner's' protests at not being allowed on. _Idiot should have bought his own ticket._

He left the fool to keep watch outside and began searching the train one compartment at a time. Gavriil moved quickly, the lateness of the hour meant there were only a few people in each compartment. But each car became another failure, and he felt his rage growing as he continued to search fruitlessly for them.

_I can't be wrong. I just can't be!_

Even when he reached the final compartment, he was still not ready to concede to defeat. Gavriil had conducted his search with his usual speed and efficiency, and even though he had not found his prey, he was not ready to give up. He climbed down and glared at the train, looking for any possible hiding places. His partner had seen him getting off the train and cautiously approached him. 

"No sign of them on the train? I didn't see anyone else get on after you."

"Hn."

"So what now, smart guy?" the idiot couldn't help but rub it in that the infamous Gavriil had been mistaken.

Gavriil made no answer, he merely watched as the train began to pull away from the station. His companion took his lack of answer as a weakness and decided to take advantage of the situation.

"Guess you were wrong, ne? I don't think Voltaire will be very happy that you took us on a wild goose chase."

Still no answer. The train had departed, but Gavriil still didn't turn to his companion. He kept his eyes straight ahead, focused on the platform that had been revealed by the train's departure. Of course, the idiot taunting him was only focused on Gavriil, the fool wanted to see if he could tear the man down.

"I'll be sure to let Lord Voltaire know that it was your intuition that led us here. Maybe he'll promote me to your job. I'd love to take care of Lady Marya for you."

The man's taunting came to an abrupt halt as Gavriil slowly drew a gun with a silencer attached. Backing away, the man desperately searched for an attendant, for anyone who might possibly be a witness. As long as there were witnesses, he felt confident that Gavriil wouldn't shoot him. There was no one around them.

"You should pay less attention to me," Gavriil turned briefly to glare at the man beside him before turning his focus back to the distance platform, "and more to the people around you."

As Gavriil lifted his gun, sighting on the distant platform, the man followed his aim and saw his target. A lithe woman standing with a boy next to a bench, they were illuminated by the soft, warm light of the lamp above them. As he watched, she took the boy's hand and together they turned to board the train.

-------------------

Nadya walked towards the train, but her gaze seemed to look beyond it. She saw the future she and Kai would have. They would have peace. Kai, no, Akemi would be able to be a child. He would make friends and go to school, and he would come home to her. Together, they would find happiness again. She felt his warm hand in hers and smiled. It was a smile that stretched into the future, but lasted less than a moment. She felt Kai's hand leave hers as he suddenly stumbled forward. It looked almost as if he had been shoved hard from behind, but there was no one there. Kai fell to one knee next to her and turned his wide, shocked eyes up at her. For a moment, Nadya could only stand there staring down at Kai, both of them too shocked to move. 

The sight of blood blossoming at his left shoulder blade was like a splash of cold water. Immediately, she grabbed him, pulling him to his feet and shoving him in front of herself. She didn't waste any time looking for the shooter lurking behind them; she just kept Kai between her and the train. 

Kai knew that he had been injured, had felt the pain of the impact echoing through his back and radiating down his left arm. But Kai had endured pain before and he pushed past it, reaching the train with Nadya right behind him. He used his right arm to grab the railing, pulling himself up into the train. He felt Nadya stumble into him in her haste to get on the train after him. 

As they hurried down the empty corridor, Kai felt a wave of relief as he felt the train lurch into movement below them. He didn't even mind that the sudden movement sent him into the wall, leaving behind a smear of blood. Nadya quickly reached out and steadied him, directing him into an empty compartment. 

Kai half ran, half stumbled across the compartment to reach the window. The movement of the train almost caused him to fall, but he reached out with his right hand to steady himself against the glass. He leaned against the window, straining to catch a glimpse of those who had tracked them down. Behind him, he heard Nadya closing the door, her breath coming in short pants.

A sigh of relief escaped Kai as he saw two men running on a neighboring platform. He knew that they were too far away to reach the train in time to board it. As he watched, the train pulled away from the station, leaving the men far behind. Kai felt a sudden rush of weakness as he came to the end of his adrenaline rush. He felt the burning pain of his wound and was dizzy from blood loss. Kai collapsed to his knees on the floor, his hand against the glass barely slowing his descent. Too worn out to get up and move to the bench, Kai decided to settle on finding a comfortable position on the floor.

Nadya turned in time to see him fall. Standing by the door, she seemed hesitant to approach him. Despite her planning and her efforts, she had failed him. She watched as Kai shifted to a sitting position, leaning to rest back against the wall. Nadya winced in sympathetic pain when he jerked away from the wall his eyes flaring open in pain. 

"Akemi?"

Kai didn't answer. He sat, leaning forward, hugging his knees to his chest. He understood that even though they had escaped, it was only a matter of time until they were caught. Quiet footsteps approached him, but he didn't look up, he was too preoccupied with finding a way for them to escape. Nadya's soft skirt brushed against him as she knelt down in front of him.

"Akemi, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Kai mumbled into his arms. "It's mine."

Unwrapping her wine colored scarf from her hair, Nadya inched forward to move alongside him. She reached out to pull Kai into her embrace, taking advantage of the hug to hold pressure on his wound with her scarf. Kai leaned against her, his head resting against her shoulder. 

"Shh, just listen to me. We are safe for now, but the train will reach its first stop in a little over two hours. You know they will be waiting there for us."

Kai nodded silently. He understood this, but didn't know what they could do about it. Nadya felt him nod and continued, her voice low; she still sounded out of breath from their escape.

"Akemi, you need to look for a place where the train slows down. Watch for a curve or a town. When you see it happen, I want you to jump off. You can do it. Get off and find a place to hide. Once you're feeling better, you need to run, get as far from Russia as you can, don't ever look back."

Short coughs interrupted her, causing her to stop frequently to catch her breath. Kai was too caught up in what she said to notice.

"What do you mean, 'I need to jump off?'" he spoke, anger growing in his voice. "Don't you mean 'we need to jump off?' Are you telling me to leave without you? Why! You don't want to go with me?"

Kai felt Nadya's arm release him and he turned to glare at her. He wanted to say more, but his voice caught in his throat. When he looked over at her, she was coughing with her hand covering her mouth. As he saw her hand drop away, he noticed the blood on it. His lips moved soundlessly as he tried to speak. Nadya just smiled gently at him, blood trailing down from the corner of her lips. The sight of her smile unlocked his voice.

"Why? Nadya, why…" 

Kai's voice broke as he tried to voice any of the hundreds of agonizing thoughts running through his head. His mind starting to grasp what he had missed before. Nadya pulling him to his feet, pushing him in front of her, Nadya stumbling against him as they boarded the train. He finally understood that she had been injured as well. He understood what happened, but he couldn't understand why.

_Why did you stay? Why did you protect me? Why didn't you leave without me? Why did you love me?_

Nadya laughed softly, the musical sound becoming discordant as coughs interrupted her. She tried to subdue the coughs, tried to answer him, but found her voice had almost left her. She had heard his question and thought only of answering it. Pulling him into her embrace, she leaned towards him until their temples were touching. Kai felt the smooth touch of her cheek against his, the soft brush of air against his neck as she answered him. Her voice so quiet, it was more a breath than anything else.

"Because…you are my beautiful sunrise…" she struggled to finish before her breath left her, taking her voice with it, "every time I see you…you bring me…hope…"

Kai's own breath stopped when hers did. He stared past her seeing nothing, unable to even form a coherent thought. She had answered him as she always had, her voice full of love. Kai felt numb, he wanted to cry, to scream, but couldn't. He didn't want to go on; he just wanted the world to stop.

_Please. No more. I can't take anymore. I know I'm selfish, I know I don't deserve it, but please, just make it stop. I want to stay here. I want to be with Nadya forever. If there is a god, if there is a being that cares, please, I'm begging you, let me stay like this forever._

Kai remained in her embrace, his cheek against hers, his arms holding her own trying to maintain the embrace. He struggled to keep his feeling of home, inhaling deeply the fragrance of cherry blossoms tainted with the metallic, coppery scent of blood. Kai was startled to feel the warm, wet trail of a tear running down his cheek; he had thought he had long ago lost his ability to cry. But he soon realized that it wasn't his tear, it was Nadya's. It was a final gift. She had given him the tears that he couldn't shed, given him a way to show his grief.

_Please…just make it stop…_

********present********

No one had listened to him then. The world had continued to turn, pulling Kai along with it. But now he had escaped it, hiding in his memories. In his mind, time had stopped. He stayed in the moment and let the world move on without him.

And with or without him, it would move on. Voltaire returned to the room, his dark eyes gleaming in anticipation. He seemed filled with excitement, almost like a child waiting to open a present. He didn't waste even a moment for Hedeon, but crossed directly to the bed. Reaching into his coat, he pulled forth the black blade that held the dark phoenix. He placed it on the bed beside Kai.

"Kai, I have some interesting news," he stood gloating over Kai. "My men have just informed me that your ex-team mates have been spotted on our boundary. I think it's time you showed them your true strength. This time I expect you to succeed in taking their spirits. Are you ready to battle?"

Kai's eyes snapped open at Voltaire's words. The last part had not been a question, but rather a challenge. As Kai slowly sat up, he directed his ice blue eyes at his grandfather. Without looking, his hand reached out to grasp the black blade beside him. He lived only to battle.

"I'll destroy them."

--------tbc

well……

How was it?

Definitely my longest chapter so far. Maybe my most difficult one to write as well. I almost deleted the whole thing several times, but I couldn't.

I hope no one hates me for this chapter. I had this planned from the beginning. Nadya represented all of Kai's innocence, his open and loving nature. If she was still alive somewhere in the world in the present time, he would have fought to keep some of those emotions alive for her sake. I know I've shown several deaths in this fic, but this was the hardest to write. I hope it was well written.

Since this chapter has taken me so long to post, I thought I'd be nice and give away something I've been hinting at. How many people have guessed about Kai's eyes? Listen up, I'm sharing a secret. Kai's eyes are naturally hazel, changing color to suit his emotions. Anyone remember when they first appear crimson? It's right after he has bonded to Dranzer, during the destruction of the abbey. It happens during his confrontation with his grandfather. I'm pointing this out so you aren't confused by the change in color at the end of this chapter. Kai's crimson eyes come from Dranzer, from his bond with the fiery spirit. When his bond with Dranzer is destroyed by Black Dranzer, his eyes resumed their natural color, hazel. Now, with his soul locked away deep inside, they appear ice cold. Without his soul, how can his eyes express emotion. 

Does this clear up anything for you guys? I'm sure you all already had it all figured out, ne? ^_~ 

Special Thanks to:

**Cosmos angel: **Thanks for the review. I'm pretty curious about Kai and Ran's past, too. Wonder if we'll ever find out ^_~

**Ashla: ***_* Dreaming of Kai? I'm never that lucky. Invite me to the next dream, I'm dying for some bishie goodness. O_O My, are you sure you're quite sane? I don't know many girls that carry mallets around with them. Oh well, I guess it's better to be safe. You never know when an evil bastard like Voltaire or Hedeon will show up. Poor Kai, I'm not sure if I freed his soul, or just changed him more tightly.

**LaDiNi: **Yep, you got it Di, the spike is definitely something that will allow Black Dranzer to exert control over Kai. I never liked in the anime how Kai could so easily change sides. I wanted to see him fight against his friends, while still fighting not too. @_@ Does that make sense? With the talon, I can force Kai into a battle that he would not normally fight. *rubs hands together* This will be fun!

**Droopy1389: **Thanks for the praise. I hope you are having luck with your story as well. Say 'hi' anytime on AIM. I'm not there often, but I love talking to people.

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: **there, there. We can't always get what we want. But don't worry, Voltaire will definitely get what he deserves!

**Artemis347:** *giggles* I'm about to float off because of my over-inflated ego. I agree this is a great site, there are some truly talented authors here. If your English teacher disagrees, then she is the one who's missing out. But that's beside the point, the best thing about this site is not that it let's us read great stories (even though it does), but rather that it allows us to express ourselves in writing. What English teacher worth her salt wouldn't want that. Anyways, catch ya next chapter ^_^

**DragonBlade: **O_O Don't do that, you wouldn't look nearly as nice without your head! I'm glad you are enjoying my story, even if it's frustrating you. I hope I'm starting to shine some light on the mysteries I've created. But even more, I hope you have enjoyed watching those mysteries unfold. Stay with me, got a lot more to uncover.

**Cherri: **^_^ Yea! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you liked this one too. Sorry for the slow update.

**Dawn35: **Thanks for the review. I know this wasn't a quick update, but I hope it was a good chapter.

**Kai baby-girl: ***laughs* I assure you, I do have a soul. ^_^ even if I seem not to sometimes ~_~ *giggles* your review got me thinking. Even worse (for you) it got my love of philosophy going ^_~ I'll share my theory behind souls. Think of a painting of a person, it can be quite beautiful and have many levels of meaning behind it. But compared to a living person, it's very simple. The human body is many times more complex. Instead of two dimensions, there are three. Plus there are the five senses that allow us to interact with the world around us. After centuries of study, we are only just barely beginning to understand some of the mysteries of our own bodies. Now let's look at the soul. Just as the living body is more complex than the painting of the body, so, too, is the soul infinitely more complex than the living body. The soul is more than three dimensional; in fact, it can't be defined in dimensions. The soul exists on a different plane completely, yet it still shares our plane of existence. People talk about a sixth sense, something that is beyond what our physical body is capable of. This is merely a glimmer of the truth, the soul is so complex, we aren't even able to start beginning to understand it, all we can do is acknowledge its existence. The soul is intangible, existing within us and yet not exactly a part of us. It's a world of its own, built of experiences and self-discovery. And the soul can exist within its self, sort of like how we half blood cells moving through our body, the soul can be both the small existence moving within the bigger existence. A soul within a soul; the soul inside being the very heart of ourselves, while the soul around it is the one we create (think of the barriers and defense mechanisms we use to protect ourselves).

Did that help, or just confuse you more? Oh well, back to the review. I'm not sure what thing you are comparing the talon to. It truly is meant to look like a talon or thorn, a curved silver spike. As for the saying about a black heart, I've heard that many times before, but I'm not sure were its origin comes from. It's a very good literary device to use, though, because it leads us to the same mental pictures. Sorry for killing off Bryan, didn't know he was a fav of yours. He just seemed like the best one for the job, so to speak. I hope you found my 'reason' for his cruelty believable. Thanks for the review, and letting me play with philosophy ^_^ See ya next chapter!

**Jae: **;_; You make me so happy. I'm glad you liked that passage. I wrote it, erased it, and wrote it again. I liked it, but I wasn't sure it would work. When I'm trying, I get very critical of myself. It's amazing how easy it is to feel pain, and how hard it is to write it. I had the same problem with this chapter. I hope it worked out, I definitely don't feel deft ~_~ But thank you for that, it is high praise. I agree that Kai is a truly great dramatic character to play with. He has so much depth, it's hard not to find something dramatic to do with him. I hope you stay with me, I always feel lighter after reading your reviews ^_^ (you pump up my ego)

**Mariko12: **^_^ Glad you are enjoying. Welcome onboard. I hope you stick around for the ending (don't worry, I still have quite a few chapters to go).

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: ***basking in the sunlight* I'm so glad the sun is back. I certainly hope it doesn't get hidden in all the clouds I scattered across the sky. I'm thinking it looks like rain. ^_~

**Fey Phantom:** *giggles* Thanks for the effort with the batteries. Don't worry, I'm not scared of the dark (not much anyways). Cuba sounds nice. I could use it too, the snow hasn't melted yet and I am more than ready for it to heat up again. I'm very happy you liked Black Dranzer's talon. I've been planning that one for a while (heck, I've been planning the whole damned thing for a while ~_~). It's fun to get to these chapters I've been waiting for. I hope you continue to enjoy them. I'm afraid that Kai has lost himself to the darkness right now, or rather, he has hidden from it. It's the same difference, because now Black Dranzer has control of him. Can't wait to see what happens next!

**Icy blade anonymous1250: **^_^ Thanks for the review. My, some of your questions are way off, and some are dead on. I'll clear up a little of your confusion in regards to relationships (but I'll only tell you what I've stated in the fic ^_~) Yes, Ran is the son of Houo Isamu, nephew of Hideaki. Gavriil/Hedeon, same age as Isamu, is not related to the Houo family in any way (only his hate links them). None of the females I've created are related to the Houo family. Hotaru was going to marry into it, but disappeared before she could (Voltaire kidnapped her and had Marya with her). As for your other questions…you'll just have to wait and see ;P

I know the manipulation of Kai into fighting his team was pretty obvious. There are so many stories out there that pit them against each other. I was a little ashamed to do something so obvious, but how could I not. Everyone writes it because they love to see it. I am looking forward to his battle against his friends and against his will. I think it will definitely be interesting. Let's hope they can bring him back. 

**Kai's gurl-Riece: **You don't care ;_; Okay, see if I update ^_~ *;laughs* I hope you enjoyed, sorry it took so long to update.

**Lyn/Lin: **~_~ What took you so long!?! *laughs* I forgive you. I guess I can't complain, seeing as it took me so long to update. Yep, she loved him, who wouldn't. He's Kai! Sounds like I've confused you plenty *evil laughter* Good! I do hope though that it's starting to make sense now. Feel free to ask about something if you are confused, I'll answer what I can. I'm glad my angsty and sad fic are cheering you up (confused, but glad @_@) I hope you enjoyed this chappie as well. Ja ne!

**Eng~Lang: **Yep, poor Kai has been corrupted. As for what the others will do, why they will fight him to the death of course….*ahem* I mean they will meet him in battle and attempt to save his soul of course (yeah, that's it) Thanks for the review, stay with me, the road travels ever on.

**SquirrelOfShadows: ***laughs* Was that a review, or an ambush! Yes I agree Hinata is pretty cool! But no one is better than Sasuke *giggles* I guess I better give up, though. Maybe we can both agree that Kai is great! I', not sure we'll ever agree on Sasuke ^_~ I'm biased, but I think Ran is pretty great as well *_*

**Elf Faith: ***_* Thanks for the review. I'm glad you found my story, too. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Catch ya next chapter!

*yawns* Shimatta, I did it again! It's almost 5 am and I'm writing because I feel so darn guilty. Sorry again for the long delay. Maybe the chapter was long enough to make up for it, ne? 

Anyways, thanks again to everyone reading my story. I hope no one hates me (or this chapter!) *laughs* I'm afraid I still don't have any batteries, so the darkness may continue for a while. Please don't forget to leave a little light on your way out. Bring the Sun!!

The next chapter will be **The Games. *guess who's playing ^_~***


	21. The Game

**Disclaimer: **Don't own silly cartoon about spinning tops, or the beautiful boys within ^_~ (you have to wonder how they thought of it. Admit it, you wonder.)

**Warning:** Spinning top battle ahead. I was giggling too hard when I wrote this, so I don't have a clue how it is. @_@ Usually warning, some darkness, some cursing

**Author's Note:** Yikes, it has been awhile hasn't it. I apologize for the greatly delayed update. I was doing so well until recently, too ;_; Don't give up on me. I promised I'd finish this fic, and I will! Sadly, I have several ideas running in circles in my head for other fics and it's getting hard to stay focused. But don't worry, the sunlight is not too far now. I hope you stick around to watch the sunrise with me.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXI: The Games**

Void.

Such a simple word with such a simple definition. The void; dark, black, silent. Black Dranzer was the very essence of the void, but such simple words did little to describe this being. To truly understand the dark phoenix, one needed to understand the truth of the void. The void is not defined by what is there, but rather by what is missing; the absence of light, color, sound. 

Even though the void can occur in nature, like the black hole, Black Dranzer was undeniably unnatural. It was an abomination. Nature never intended for the void to live, or to feel. It was truly a being to pity. Black Dranzer was aware of light, sound, color, emotion. It knew about everything that filled the world with energy, and it knew that it did not have any of that within itself. It learned hatred and envy as it watched those that were not empty. It was amazed that beings who were already so filled with light and emotions could continue to grow. Surely it wasn't fair that others, who seemed filled to bursting, could still miraculously find room for more when it, with so much emptiness inside, could not have any.

In its anger and jealousy, Black Dranzer began to believe that somehow it could steal the essence of those that were not empty. It deluded itself into believing that finally it could fill its aching emptiness with the light, color, and music of others. That just maybe it could fill the void within.

With this ambition driving it, Black Dranzer moved silently through the trees, the clear sound of laughter and young voices drawing it irresistibly forward. The bright energy of strong spirits seemed to shine through the woods before it and the dark phoenix could barely restrain itself. A pale pink tongue flicked eagerly over lips stretched taut in a feral smile. The two spirits ahead would surely fill much of the emptiness inside. Black Dranzer quickened its pace, losing none of its stealth. Its prey would be unaware of their danger until it was too late to escape.

----------------

"Let it rip!"

A bright green blade landed easily in the dish beside its waiting opponent. The green and white blades quickly closed on each other, sparks flying as they impacted. The whir of the blades was easily overcome by the enthusiastic shouts of the boys who had launched them. One fair and the other dark, there was no mistaking these two as anything other than friends and team mates. A third boy looked on from his perch on a nearby tree stump. Balanced on his lap was a laptop that was busy recording the battle.

As the white blade launched into a furious attack, the blonde boy only laughed as his green blade met each hit with a strong wall of defense. The green blade seemed completely unfazed by the barrage, barely moving from its spot.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Takao. You know Draciel has the strongest defense there is. You'll never take us down like that."

"Dragoon doesn't know the meaning of never," Takao responded, echoing Max's grin.

The white blade seemed to blur as it sped up, darting in to attack Draciel from all sides. The green blade continued to defend itself, showing no sign of falling to Dragoon's onslaught.

"Maybe he just needs a good dictionary," Dizzi's electronic voice piped in.

Kenny couldn't restrain his laughter at Dizzi's comment. He had just been thinking the same thing. Max's light laughter joined in as Takao turned glare at the offending laptop.

"Hey! You just be sure to record my victory."

Turning back to the match, Takao watched as Dragoon continued to pound at Max's blade with no effect. A small frown betrayed his concentration as he searched for some way to win the match. It definitely wouldn't do to lose after the boast he had just made.

_Damn. His defenses are just too good. There has to be a way to get through them, I just know it. I can't give up, I won't give up. But how? Everything Dragoon throws at Draciel, he just shrugs off. How can I get past his defenses?_

_~ You're focusing too much on getting _through. _If his defenses are too strong to go head on against, then you shouldn't go head on. ~_

Takao smiled as he realized exactly what he needed to do. It was time to change tactics.

"Dragoon, Phantom Hurricane!!"

Hearing this command, Max looked up in confusion at Takao. He hadn't expected his friend to try something like that. As he watched, the white blade veered away from his and began circling Draciel. As the blade's speed increased, a current of air seemed to close in on the green blade. The updraft that Dragoon was creating began to push up at Draciel's ring and the blade began to wobble precariously. The blade that had seemed to be an immoveable mountain suddenly had all the stability of a drunken sailor.

"So what do you say now, Max? Think Dragoon and I have a chance of winning? You can't defeat me if you can't keep your blade spinning."

"Wow," Kenny was typing away furiously on his keyboard. "That is an awesome attack. Dizzi, don't miss any of this."

"I'm hurt, chief, like I could make a mistake like that."

"I'm not done yet, Takao."

Max leaned in, giving the battle his full concentration. He was surprised at how much skill Takao had seemed to gain. Throughout the match, Takao had demonstrated that his current training while Kai was missing had not been in vain. His blade moved with unusual deftness even at greater speeds. Now he had surprised Max by using his usual attack in a new way. By manipulating the speed and angle of his blade, Takao was actually aiming the gusts of wind that were trapped in the hurricane. The attack had once been like the blunt, direct blow from a hammer, but now it had the precision of a sniper.

_He's gotten really good. If I don't get Draciel out of there, he's going to completely stop his spin. I need to find a way to counter his wind attacks. Maybe if I anticipate the direction, I can defend against it. _

Despite his renewed concentration, Draciel continued to be rocked by Dragoon's winds. There seemed to be no way to determine where the wind would hit next, and the few times Max had moved to try to counter a coming blow, he had almost been knocked completely over in the dish.

_It's no good, I can't figure out where he's coming from. I just can't defend against this attack._

_~ Even with a perfect defense, you can't win if you only defend. Sometimes you have to drop you barriers and turn your defense into offense. ~_

Max watched the battle rage, his whole body tense. He was not trying to anticipate the next blow anymore, but rather was waiting for the blow to fall. As a sudden updraft hit his blade from below, he let all his defenses fall. The green blade was not only rocked by the blow, but was completely overturned by it. The blade allowed the wind to upset it and used that force to throw itself out of the eye of the storm. Landing shakily outside the circle of wind, Draciel took a moment to steady itself before launching an attack on the outside of the ring.

The green blade crashed into Dragoon, interrupting his path and forcing him to break the ring in order to defend himself. Both boys watched as the blades raced towards each other. The blades each picked up speed aiming for a direct collision in the center of the dish. At the last minute, right before impact, Draciel suddenly stopped. The green blade was spinning in place with its defenses up as Dragoon plowed into it. The white blade, unable to stop its forward momentum and equally unable to break through Max's defenses, literally seemed to trip over the green blade and fly off the dish.

"Nice match," Max was smiling as he picked up his team mate's blade and reached over the dish to return it to him.

"Thanks." Takao, never one to be a sore loser, returned the smile easily. "That was a great move."

"And we have it all in here," Kenny added, patting his laptop.

Max watched as Takao leaned over Kenny's shoulder, demanding he play back the part where Dragoon had Draciel trapped in the eye of the hurricane. Scooping up his blade, he laughed happily. Finally, the 'Breakers seemed whole again.

Maybe it was strange to feel that way since, technically, Kai and Rei weren't physically there at the moment, but Max and the others all felt that way nonetheless. 

When Max had awoken that morning, he had seen Kenny sitting on watch by the door and Takao grinning mischievously at him from his own futon. Because of his recent habit of getting up early to train, Takao had anxiously been waiting for either Max or Rei to wake up so he would have someone to train with. Looking at where Rei lay sleeping, the three of them had decided that the Chinese blader needed his sleep and had quietly slipped off to train. 

Kenny had remembered seeing a small blading dish in a clearing in the woods. He had noticed it while they had been running through the woods to help Rei and thought he could lead them back to it. Max and Takao had followed him, sneaking carefully through the woods trying not to make any noise. They didn't want to awaken their hosts, nor did they want to alert Voltaire since it seemed the clearing was near his property.

When they had finally arrived at the clearing, they found it to be perfect for training. There was a small blading dish in the center and the entire meadow was nicely shaded by a circle of trees. There was a tree stump that was at just the right height to sit comfortably on. It had obviously been a very large tree once, because the stump was big enough to seat all three boys comfortably. After clearing the dish of the leaves and dirt that had been laying in it undisturbed, the boys launched immediately into a battle.

It had been that battle that let them realize that they were a team again. Whether or not all the team mates were present, they were very much there in spirit. Each boy had a unique presence, almost like they were a particular instrument in a symphony. Takao was loud and brash, full of courage that he selflessly gave to his friends. He knew without a doubt that he and his friends would always win, no matter who or what they faced. Max was cheerful, bubbling with enthusiasm. He would support his friends without prejudice and be there for them win or lose. Kenny was easily recognized by the sound of his typing. He, along with the ever-present Dizzi, would be nearby watching and analyzing the combat, always ready to divulge some hidden strength or weakness of an opponent.

Even if one of the three were not actually there, they would still be there in spirit, just like Rei was there with them now. Rei could always be counted on, a strong, dependable presence. He would use all his strength to bolster his friends and he would stand up to defend them against anyone who would even think of hurting them. As they battled, Max and Takao could feel his strength behind them, just like always.

Up until this training match, though, none of the boys had been able to feel Kai's presence. In a way, they blamed themselves for this, for not knowing Kai well enough. They often wondered if only they had a stronger bond, maybe they would still feel he was part of the group. But even though they blamed themselves, the fault lay mostly on Kai. 

Kai was too good at what he did. He had always been determined to stay distant. He didn't want to risk any of them getting to know him too well. Kai believed the others would get hurt if they were connected to him. Because of this, Kai was always careful to remain in the background. He would be the shadow on the sidelines, never sharing the light with his team mates. From his vantage point, he would watch and coach his team mates. Kai was better than good, he was one of the best. His coaching reflected that. He would never interfere if his team mate could handle things on his own. Kai understood that if he held their hands all the time, they would never learn to walk on their own.

If his team mates were in trouble though, he would not hesitate to assist them. In his calm, cool voice, he would tell them what they needed to know, no more and no less. He would give them enough information for them to use it and their own knowledge and skills to win. Maybe it was because he was always in shadows, or maybe it was because the things he said seemed so obvious to the one blading that they seemed to realize it exactly as he said it, but his team mates never seemed to notice the impact and presence he had on the team. 

It was only now, after they had bladed so long without him that they truly understood his impact on the team. As Max and Takao had bladed, they had each heard his voice speaking calmly, knowingly in their thoughts, guiding them in their battle. It was strange, but their own inner voices that analyze their battles seemed somehow to have taken the shape, or rather, sound of Kai's. Once they understood this, they realized he was still with them, that he always would be. 

"Hey, Max, come look at this," Takao was jumping up and down excitedly behind Kenny. "This is when Dragoon was kicking Draciel's bit-butt."

Max tucked his blade away in his pocket at walked over to join his friends. He couldn't help but laugh indulgently at his friend's boasting. _After all, it had been a pretty sweet move._

"Don't forget who won that battle," Max teased, leaning over Takao's shoulder to peer at the small screen. "However, I have to admit, that move was definitely"

"Pitiful."

The three boys froze at the unexpected voice, their laughter dying immediately. It was a voice they knew well. After all, it was the same voice they had heard silently in their minds as they battled. As one, they turned.

Leaning calmly against the trunk of one of the encircling trees was a familiar figure. Arms crossed at his chest, the boy's head was bowed, almost as if he were sleeping. The 'Breakers had learned from experience that the relaxed pose was deceptive, that the more relaxed the posture, the more wary the boy. Even with the boy's face in shadows, the 'Breakers knew immediately who it was.

"Kai!!"

Takao was the first to leap up, running with wild abandon towards his newly-returned team mate. His cap flew off, but he didn't even notice as he ran forward, arms open wide to pull Kai into a bear hug. Max was a bare step behind him and managed to grab the loose cap before it hit the ground. Max's laughter echoed his happiness as he joined his companion's rush. He knew there was no way Kai would let Takao hug him, but he was determined to help Takao try.

"Stay back!"

Max and Takao stumbled to a halt at the harsh command. Kenny, who had been following them at a more sedate pace even took several steps backward at the force of Kai's voice. Takao, though, was not going to back off now, not after they had searched so hard for the phoenix.

"Kai, man," Takao took several steps towards the shadowed form, "you wouldn't believe how happy we are to see you. We've been searching all over for you. You sure know how to make an entrance."

"Don't come any closer."

Takao stopped moving forward, turning to give Max a questioning look. Max was at a loss though. He didn't understand any better than Takao why Kai was being so stand-offish. Looking from Takao to Kenny, Max had a sudden thought.

_Rei's__ not here. Kai doesn't know he's alright. The last time he saw him, Rei was in pretty bad shape. Maybe he thinks we blame him._

"Kai, it's okay," Max spoke entreatingly. He began to take slow, wary steps forward, first coming even with Takao, and then moving past him. "Rei's fine, he's asleep in the house just through the trees over there. He's been really worried about you, we all have. Why don't you come with us, I know Rei's anxious to"

A dark blade came flying from the shadows, striking the ground and knocking Max backwards. Only Takao's quick catch prevented Max from falling to the ground. No one spoke as three pairs of eyes focused on the black blade spinning on the ground before them. Kenny stumbled backward until he fell back to sit on the tree stump. 

"Bl…Black Dr…Dranzer…"

At Kenny's soft stuttering, Max and Takao felt their eyes drawn up to their distant team mate. Kai was no longer leaning at ease against the tree, but, rather, he stood, his legs slightly apart in a posture of challenge. 

"I told you to stay back."

Kai walked forward, moving out from the shadows of the trees and into the bright morning light. Somehow, even in the new dawn light, he seemed to bring the shadows with him. Kai seemed the same as always, but there was something subtly different. Takao stared intently at him, trying to figure out what was making him so uneasy.

Just looking at Kai, there was a noticeable, if very subtle, difference to him. Kai seemed to be clad in shadows. He wore clothing similar to his usual outfit, but much darker and more fitted. The clothes seemed to hug his form, with only a black scarf moving in the wind. The usual metal pieces of his outfit were missing, but there was a small glint of metal at his neck which the movement of the black scarf kept them from being able to identify it. 

The dark clothes served only to bring attention to how pale his skin was where it was not covered. His face was so pale that it seemed almost drained of blood. His usual blue markings stood out in sharp detail, emphasizing the hollows of his cheeks. From the thinness of his features, it wasn't difficult for his friends to see that he had not eaten much during his captivity.

"Something's wrong," Takao spoke softly to Max as he help his friend to steady himself.

"At least it doesn't look like he's been hurt," Max replied, grateful for Takao's support.

Takao didn't get a chance to answer Max as he inhaled sharply in surprise. Kai finally lifted his face, his eyes meeting Takao's. Takao found his eyes capture in the ice blue stare. 

"Kai?"

Max heard the confusion in his friend's voice and followed his gaze to see what had disturbed him. Max was stunned.

_Kai doesn't have blue eyes, they are red. What is going on here? I don't like this, those eyes, they are just like Tala's when we fought at the championships. What could have made his eyes change color? They've always been red, they couldn't just change color! Could they? Is that what Takao meant when he said something was wrong, or is it something deeper._

"Kai? What happened to your eyes?"

Cold, blue eyes stayed focused on them as Kai called Black Dranzer back to his hand and moved to stand across the beydish from them. Locking Black Dranzer into his launcher, Kai's expressionless face seemed to twist for a moment. A strange, hungry semblance of a smile appeared on his lips. At least, Takao thought it was a smile.

"Are you ready?"

 Max and Takao looked on in disbelief as Kai held his launcher ready. There was no way that they would battle with him. They had been searching for him to help him, not fight against him. Kenny looked on from his seat on the tree stump, clutching Dizzi tightly to his chest. He had seen Black Dranzer absorbing other bit beasts and he wasn't about to let that monster come after his precious Dizzi.

"Kai, we're not going to fight with you," Takao stepped forward, trying to talk some sense into his friend.

"We're your friends, don't you remember?" Max spoke entreatingly from behind Takao. "We want to help you. You don't want to fight us, I know you don't."

"I don't have any friends, friends are useless. The only thing that matters is victory. I will ask one more time, are you ready?"

"And I'll tell you as many times as I have to, we are not going to fight you!" Takao yelled in frustration.

Max stayed silent for the last exchange, too hurt by Kai's answer to respond. He knew that that couldn't be Kai speaking. After all they had been though together, Kai just couldn't reject them that easily.

Kenny had been steadily inching away from his friends as they talked. He felt his fear mounting, but knew there was nothing he could do. If Kai decided to take Dizzi from him, he wouldn't be able to fight him. After all, Dizzi was trapped in the computer, he wouldn't even able to put up a fight in a bey battle. He was useless and he knew it.

"Then the time of asking is over," Kai's voice was totally emotionless, but his face remained frozen in the same terrible grin. Kai's icy eyes remained locked on Takao's for a moment longer, before he abruptly turned and launched his dark blade.

Kenny didn't have a chance to cry out as Black Dranzer made a beeline for him. All he had time to do was close his eyes and hug Dizzi closer to his chest. He held his breath, waiting for the impact. Only when he felt the need to take a breath did he open his eyes again wondering why Black Dranzer never hit him.

The answer, of course, was that while Takao had been focused on Kai, Max had been watching Block Dranzer. He remembered the last battle they had had with the dark phoenix and was ready for any stunt that Kai might pull. So when Kai turned and launched his blade at Kenny, Max had been ready and launched Draciel to intercept. 

"That was low Kai," Max turned, expecting to see an expression of anger or contempt on Kai's face. He was surprised to see that the same smile was still locked in place.

"Finally, an opponent. It's been a long time since we last battled. You were lucky last time, I hesitated too much and I lost. That won't happen again. This will be our final battle."

A chill crawled along Max's spine at Kai's words. He definitely didn't like the sound of that. But it was too late now, Draciel was on the field and Max would not back off.

"You're right about one thing. This will be our last battle. As much as I hate doing this Kai, I will fight you. And I will destroy Black Dranzer."

Green and black blades collided, moving almost to fast to be seen. The dish had been long forgotten and the blades traveled across the length of the meadow. Max kept his concentration completely focused on his blade, completely unaware of the world around him. For right now, the world didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was the black blade that was his opponent.

Takao watched to two boys engrossed in the match and slowly inched around the outskirts of the battle to come up next to Kenny.

"Kenny," he spoke in a low undertone, "get out of here. You have to go get Rei."

Kenny nodded shortly before turning and vanishing off between the trees. Takao watched the small brunette disappear before turning back to the battle. Max's blade was putting up a strong defense, but Black Dranzer seemed to consistently strike through it. Deep gouges were appearing on Draciel with each impact. Takao pulled Dragoon out of his pocket, setting it on his launcher. Max was putting up a good fight, but Takao wasn't sure how long he'd last.

_I just hope Rei can get here in time. Otherwise…_

------------------tbc

Mwahahaha

I know I'm evil. What can I say, I love cliffies ^_~

I know you were all waiting for a battle between Kai and the others. You'll just have to wait a little bit longer ^_~ I just was unable to do a serious bey battle at the moment. Besides, it'll fit better in the next chapter. 

I hope you like my take on Black Dranzer. I am actually very proud of the descriptors for it. O_O Wow, did I just admit to liking something I wrote. *giggles* I really pity Black Dranzer, it can't help that it was created this way. Poor, warped, demented spirit.

Just a quick question. I admit to being corny, I got quite teary-eyed when I wrote Nadya's death. I was quite attached to her and the relationship she had to Kai. I was just wondering if I was the only one. Anyone else out there who would admit to getting teary-eyed. Anyone? 

;_; Oh well, I'll get you next time ^_~

Special Thanks to:

**Jae****:** ^_^ I'm glad you enjoyed my chase scene. I really wanted it to be believable. I hate stories where characters do stupid things that just happen to help move the story along. It's very important to me that everyone in my story acts thoughtfully and within their character's state of mind. That's the most fun in a story, revealing the character's inner self, not just through words, but through actions. I'm so glad to hear that the story makes sense for you. I know I am purposely being shady in how I present things, but I am hoping that by now it's all starting to come together. Sometimes I get a bit doubtful that I'm doing a very good job because things that I think are obviously still seem confusing. I guess that's only natural, I have all the answers, so I can put things together more easily. Thanks for the review and encouragement. I hope you enjoyed the reunion of the 'Breakers, I promise more next time.

**Droopy1389:** *giggles* Everyone is saying poor Kai. We do love to torture him so. I hope you enjoy the upcoming scenes with his 'friends' (if only he knew)

**Kai's-gurl-Riece: **As you requested, here's your update. Hey, better late than never. Stay with me, it will get even more interesting.

**Hitokiri**** Elf slayer of evil:** Wow, was that a 3 for 1. *laughs* Glad you enjoyed. I'm working hard (even if it seems I'm hardly working) Catch you next chapter.

**Ashla****:** One thing that seems common in my story is the evil cliffie. They do seem to come out of nowhere, ne ^_~ I really loved Nadya too. She's very real for me, I put a lot of thought into her. It had to happen though. I'm trying to explain everything without changing the anime's current storyline. I know that makes no sense, seeing as I've changed so much, but since there is no Nadya in Kai's present, she had to die. It was inevitable. I'm glad you're clear on the eye color. I explained how it happened, but do you know what I didn't explain ^_^…..I'm not telling! *giggles* There is more than meets the eye. (pun intended) Stick around, I'm sure I'll clear it up sooner or later.

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: ***laughs* It's too late for our beautiful Kai. He's possessed by Dranzer and he's completely given in to it. Now the only questions that remains is, do his friends have any chance of saving him? Does he even want to be saved? Poor Kai!! ;_;

**Dawn35:** ^_^ I'm so glad you liked it. The battles are coming up, but maybe you should let me know what you want. I truly don't think Kai could possibly lose to the 'Breakers, he's Kai after all. However, if he wins, I don't think he would ever be saved. It's a dilemma because I just don't think that Takao and the others have a chance of winning. Poor, Kai, he's doomed!!

**Jaded Gossamer:** Hi! I'm glad you are emjoying my story so far. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Ja ne!

**Fey Phantom:** I hope you did well in your water polo game. I definitely agree with you, there's nothing like getting online and procrastinating when you have a ton of stuff to do. Unless of course, there is so much stuff, that it prevents you from getting near your computer ;_; Yea!I just love your reviews, you are always very thoughtful. I think that Kai's mother is a truly tragic character. She loves Kai, but doesn't know how to show it. Her father, Voltaire, probably was not a good role model, or a good father if we go straight to the point. She probably was never really shown love (except, maybe, from Kai's father. And she was forced away from him once she was pregnant.). She tried in her own inept ways to show her love, but sadly, Kai never saw it. Nadya's death was hard to write, I wanted it poignant, but not heavy handed. From you nice comments, I hope I succeeded. As always, thanks for the support. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

**DragonBlade****: ***giggles* I hope you weren't too disappointed by the lack of fighting between Kai and his friends. I'll get to that next chapter. I sort of needed to give some insight of Black Dranzer, or maybe I should say, share my feelings on Black Dranzer. Glad you're up to speed with the eye colors, but as I told Ashla, there's more ^_~

**Artemis347: **^_^ I'm glad you loved it. I liked it myself. Hope you liked this one too ^_~

**Some Random Hobo Off the Streets/Khnum: ***total happiness* ^_^ Welcome to my tale. You're reviews made me smile all day, in fact, I'm still smiling. I'm glad this helped shine some light on Kai for you. I really love Kai's character and just can't help but dig into what could have been. I admit, I like the past I developed for him, it's hard not to think of it as 'the truth' when I'm watching the show or reading others fics. I really want to write a good story, so I have fully fleshed this out in my head. There are a lot of things that I will never state in the fic, but that are there nonetheless. I'm not saying I will leave out important details, I won't, but I will keep some of the background subtle. For instance, the names of the characters I created. I gave them those names on purpose. The reader isn't meant to truly analyze the names, but instead should have a subtle reaction or feeling to them. I think Gavriil/Hedeon is the easiest example. Gabriel 'the angel' turns into Hedeon 'the destroyer'. Even without knowing what a bastard he is, you still know he's a devil (like a fallen angel ^_~), you feel it, just from where your mind turns with the names (at least I hope you do). If you ever want to dig deeper, feel free to email me.

I have to say that what made me happiest in your review was the fact that you said you read it again and saw so much more. That is my biggest desire in this story. I want it to be subtle and sneaky, but once you know everything, you can read it again and just keeping smacking your forehead going, 'Oh my god!' It's all there, it's just hidden if you don't know it. Thanks for the reviews (both of them) *_* Hope you stay with me.****

**Ellen:** *giggles* All aboard the Kai torture express. *laughing hysterically* My you bounce about. Thank you for the reviews (3 in three different chapters ^_^) O_O I guess I'm an evil person. If you think my cliffies are mean now, just think how you would feel if you joined me earlier. I'm especially proud of my cliffies when I 'killed Kai. I hope you have strong nails, because you're just going to have to keep hanging on. I like cliffies *MWahahahahah* Don't worry about knowing Kai's father, it's there, but I'll be more obvious later, I promise. Stick around, the Evil Authoress will continue (I kinda like the sound of that, maybe I'll change my name ^_~)

**Kai the Ruthless Blader:** Thanks for the review. If you liked the title for this chapter, you'll love the next one ^_^ See ya next chapter!!

**Ruth 4 Kai:** Here's the update, not soon, but definitely here (that's not saying a lot, I know). Hopefully the next one will be faster.

**HimekoSukie****: ***_* Welcome back, anonymous. I like your name btw. Yep, I'm making everyone deep. Marya truly loved Kai, and tried in her own pitiful way to show it and protect him. I'm glad you figured out her eyes (some haven't). I will explain just what happened when she died, I think you'll enjoy it. Of course, that will be in a later chapter. When she died, I bet she was heartbroken, she died and Kai never understood that she loved him. More than that, he completely rejected her (quite justified from his standpoint, but incredibly cruel from hers.) Hmmm….I guess you're right, I certainly have killed a lot of people in this fic; Kai (for a little while ^_~), Bryan, Mikhail, Marya, Nadya, the list goes on (or it will ^_~) Truly a tragic past, but one that I believe explains why Kai is so emotionally wounded. I hope you stick with me. I promise to clear everything up eventually. Feel free to ask me anything (I might even answer ^_^) Ja ne!

Wow, finally finished. I'm curious, how many out there have got the family ties straight? I'll be more direct if you don't know yet, but hopefully some of you already have it figured out.

Well, the road goes ever on, and this story just keeps moving forward (slowly, but surely) I hope you enjoyed this update. I will try to update before my B-day (of course, since you don't know when that is, you won't know when ^_~) Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a little light. Bring the Sun!!!

BTW the next chapter will be **Why Does Everyone Feel Like My Enemy**


	22. Why Does Eveyone Feel Like My Enemy

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anime, song, or any beautiful boys. I do own this virus laden, piece of s*** computer which would be nice if it wasn't driving me insane.

**Warning:** Mild, comparatively. Some swearing, bey violence (yeah, like that's violent ~_~;) More fun clues ^_~

**Author's Note:** Sorry everyone for the slow update. Several reasons, but I know from experience, no reason is a good reason when it comes to getting updates on fics. Sadly, my computer has picked up a couple fun viruses that have been driving me completely bonkers. It is hard to update when you can't get your darn computer to even log into the sites you want to. I'm seriously contemplating chucking the dang thing out a window and jumping after it ~_~ I've beaten the darn things down enough to finally update, but I haven't been able to completely get rid of them. Oops, I see I've started to ramble. Please pay no attention to the demented author standing on the ledge. 

Read and enjoy!!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXII: Why Does Everyone Feel Like My Enemy**

Lying on the grassy slope, Rei gazed up at the clouds passing by overhead. It was the perfect day, warm and sunny, with pure white clouds to keep the day from being too hot. Rei smiled as let his imagination form shapes with the clouds. It was perfect.

_Well, almost perfect._

Light laughter drifted up the slope to him, drawing his gaze back to earth. Not far from the water's edge he saw Max and Takao blading against each other. Rei's laughter joined theirs as he watched the two of them putting everything they had into the fight. They were completely lost in their battle and were actually cheering on each other's bit beasts as well as their own. The bit beasts fought even harder as they felt the strength of more than just their partner filling them.

A shadow passed over Rei and for a moment he thought the loss of the sun's warmth was from another cloud. It wasn't until he heard his voice that he realized it was no cloud.

"Unbelievable, isn't it? I don't think they even care which of them wins anymore."

_Perfect._

Rei looked up, squinting slightly, to see Kai standing over him. The sun blazed around Kai's form like a halo making it difficult to see him clearly. Rei laughed at Kai's comment before replying.

"I wonder which they are giving the most support to, their bit beasts or each other."

There was a slight pause before he heard the quiet answer.

"Neither...Both."

"That's not a good answer, Kai"

"It wasn't a good question, Rei."

Rei frowned slightly, still staring up at his friend. The faint sound of birds calling to each other drifted down to them. Rei found himself squinting even more as the sun behind Kai rose higher and seemed to become even brighter.

_I wish he'd sit down with me already. If he'd just join me, I wouldn't have to keep staring up at him through that blinding light._

"So tell me, Kai, what is a good question?"

"Don't you mean, what is a good answer?"

Rei groaned with frustration and sat up shielding his eyes so he could glare fully at Kai. "Why do you keep answering my questions with more questions? Are you trying to irritate me?"

Again there was a slight pause before Kai's answer. "Why, yes, Rei, I am trying to irritate you."

Rei's mouth dropped open as he stared at Kai. He didn't know how to answer that. He probably would have sat frozen like that all day if he hadn't heard the soft chuckling coming from Kai. His own laughter joined his friend's and for a while the only sounds to be heard were Kai and Rei's laughter and the growing song of birds.

"Well, since you've succeeded in irritating me, maybe you could answer me now," Rei finally subdued his laughter and found as he looked at Kai that he had to almost completely shield his eyes from the burning light behind him. "And do you think you could sit down, it's kinda hard to look at you. It's like staring at the sun."

"Sorry, Rei, I can't stay long, but I will answer you," Kai stayed where he was, a dark silhouette against the blinding light. "The reason it was a bad question is because the strength they give their bit beasts doesn't affect the strength they give each other. You know this, Rei. It's not a matter of supporting one or the other."

Rei nodded at Kai's words, leaning forward slightly to hear him over the rising calls of the birds. 

"The strength that I give Dranzer and the strength that I give you don't take away from each other. It's the complete opposite. I gain so much more strength to give you and the others because of the strength I give to Dranzer."

"That's because we're friends," Rei added softly.

"Yes," Kai spoke again, but his voice was almost completely overwhelmed by the birds' growing song. "it is….because…we are…"

Rei couldn't hear Kai's words, could barely see him because of the blinding light behind him. He reached towards Kai to bring him closer so he could hear him over the loud, intrusive birds.

But Kai wasn't there.

~~~~~~~~~

"Damn birds," Rei muttered under his breath as he opened his eyes to see his hand reaching up into the air above him. The bright morning light was pouring through the open windows, carrying with it the raucous calls of the birds.

_And he was just about to admit we're friends._

Rei rolled over with a groan and, turning his face from the bright light, looked around the deserted room.

_Deserted? Where the heck is everyone?_

As he pulled the covers away, he noticed his sketch book open beside him. There was a small rock on it to keep the wind from blowing the pages. Moving the rock, he saw a short message in Takao's handwriting.

            Rei,

                        Gone to train. Be back soon.

                                                            Takao

_Great._ Rei rolled his eyes at the distinctly unhelpful note. _They could have at least told me where so I could join them. Or maybe when, so I'd know when to expect them back. Oh well, at least they left me this much. Now I won't have to worry about them._

Sitting on his futon, Rei turned the pages of his book until he reached the ones he had been writing on in the night. Despite staring at the family tree and the timeline, Rei found he still didn't have any miraculous answers. 

_That's right, I was going to see if Dranzer could tell me anything this morning._

Rei nodded to himself before pushing up to his feet, reaching into his pocket for Dranzer, and turning to where Kenny….

_…should have been. Dammit, of course he went with them. And where Kenny goes, Dizzi goes._

"Dammit, guys," Rei couldn't help but vent softly to the empty room. "You could have waited for me. I need to train too, you know."

"So they left you alone this morning," Rei whipped around, startled by the voice from the doorway. "I was wondering where they went to so early in the morning. I didn't even hear them go out."

Rei told his tense muscles to relax when he realized that it was just Hideaki. The young man had entered the room so quietly that Rei hadn't even noticed he was there until he spoke.

"Yeah, I guess they decided I needed to sleep in. I just wish they had told me where they were going so I could join them."

"That's not a problem," Hideaki smiled, "I know all the good beyblading spots around our property."

"You do? That's a relief, because I really…" Rei's voice drifted off as he realized something he had missed. "Wait a minute. How did you know we beyblade? I know we didn't mention it."

"How could I not know about the famous BladeBreakers," the tall man laughed at Rei's suspicion. "I knew who you were the moment I saw you. And I think I know who you are looking for."

Rei started to back away from the man before him. He seemed to know much more about them than he had let on the night before.

"So, you beyblade?" Rei asked hopefully.

"Nope," came the easy reply as Hideaki matched Rei's steps, maintaining the same distance that Rei was trying so hard to enlarge.

Rei glanced anxiously around the room. He had Dranzer in his pocket, but he had left Drigger and his launcher on his futon, both currently out of his reach. The sudden appearance of a wall at his back finally halted Rei's retreat. The young man in front of him stopped advancing when Rei was pinned by the wall. Crimson eyes burned into him for a moment before Hideaki turned and began walking towards the door.

"I'll make you a deal, Rei. I know you're looking for something. I'm searching for something myself. Maybe if we help each other, we can both find what we are looking for."

Hideaki stopped at the doorway and looked back at Rei. Rei stood frozen with his back against the wall, unsure of whether or not to trust the man in front of him.

"Come on, Rei," Hideaki sighed, "I'm not your enemy, I won't hurt you. I want to show you something."

Seeing that Rei was still hesitant to trust him, the raven haired man added something he knew would decide the boy.

"Or don't you want to find your friend? Kai, right?"

The doubt and hesitation cleared from Rei's face as he made his decision. He nodded and followed Hideaki out of the room, pausing only long enough to grab his blade and launcher.

_Yes. Kai._

--------elsewhere----------

Takao stood silently, his knuckles white as his fingers tightened around his launcher. He didn't want to interrupt Max's fight. And while he definitely didn't believe in a 2 against 1 battle, he desperately wanted to help his friend.

_No, not friend.__ Friends, plural. There has to be some way to reach Kai. I wish I knew what they did to him. I thought Dranzer said he would never betray us again._

While Takao was lost in thought, Max valiantly tried to fight off the vicious black blade. But it didn't appear as if he was having any success at it, every impact between the two blades seemed to leave another mark on his own.

"Draciel, evade!"

Max was tired of watching his blade being picked apart a piece at a time. He knew he needed a new strategy and therefore, he needed room to think. The green blade pulled away from its opponent, pulling its strength away from its defenses and pushing it into its speed. The blonde smiled slightly as his blade pulled away from Kai's, seeming to be leading a race across the clearing.

_This won't work for long. Draciel is built for defense, not speed. I have to find a way to stop him. My strength is defense…_

The green blade zigzagged across the meadow, leading the dark blade in a frantic race. To someone who didn't understand the full meaning behind the battle, it may have seemed like a harmless game. A simple game of tag. Max and Takao knew better, they understood that it was no game, but a matter of survival for Draciel. 

Takao watched as Draciel barely evaded attack after attack. He knew that Max's blade was losing speed fast, each attack came closer to hitting the running blade. Raising his launcher, Takao decided he couldn't wait anymore.

"Let it"

"Stop!" Max's voice halted him in mid launch. "Don't interfere, Takao. This is my fight."

The blond never turned away from the battle, merely calmly instructed his friend to back down while he continued to search for a way to turn the battle around. Max had not wanted to battle his friend in the first place and he would do almost anything to prevent his friends from being in the same situation he now found himself in.

Reluctantly, Takao lowered his blade. But he was as stubborn as always and decided to take a different tactic to help his friend.

"Hey, Kai. What the hell is wrong with you? We're your friends, you jerk!"

Max's eyes never left his blade, but the corners of his mouth twitched upwards at Takao's unsubtle attempts to distract his opponent. He let Takao continue the verbal attack while he concentrated on the physical.

_If my strength is defense…I need to figure out where the strength of defense lies._

With Draciel's speed failing, Black Dranzer began to score hits against the green blade. Seeing his blade bombarded on all sides, he decided to try out the new trick that he had just used against Takao. Pushing Draciel to evade the attack, he ricocheted the green blade off a tree trunk, directing it straight at the dark blade. Max poured his energy into Draciel causing the blade to pick up speed while he prepared for the wall of defense that he planned on using against Kai.  

"Hey man, is that smile because you are happy to see us, or are you just constipated?"

_Potty humor.__ That's just great Takao. That will defeat the great Kai._

He glanced up to see if Kai had caught onto his plan and was surprised to see that Kai's face had remained the same. It was as if the ice blue eyes had frozen the cruel, taunting smile onto his face. Max tried to hide the shudder he felt as he looked into Kai's empty eyes. Kai hadn't even twitched when Takao hurled the childish insult at him. 

_That's not like him. Well, I guess it is; he never showed any expression when Takao did that, but he always had a good retort._

But Kai didn't respond, he seemed to completely ignore the loud bluenette as he prepared for the collision of the blades. Max held his breath as, a split second before impact, Draciel stopped its forward momentum and built its toughest defenses around itself.

For a moment there was silence. No taunts from Takao, all three boys seemed to hold their breath. Even the birds seemed to understand this was an important moment and were silent. Sweat crawled down Max's face as he stared at the battle, waiting for the impact that would give him victory. Panting slightly, he poured all his energy into his blade building the strongest defense he could. But at the moment it should have impacted, he saw Kai's blade suddenly vanish.

"I would say that was a good plan, but I wouldn't want to lie to you. Not a very intelligent move, trying to use a move against me that I've already seen."

Max glanced about frantically trying to spot Black Dranzer, his blonde hair sweeping across his eyes and sticking to his sweat laden temples. The dark blade came swooping down, rebounding from a tree to smash down onto Draciel. Max was horrified to see his blade pushed down into the soft earth. The small depression that was created was slowing his blade even more, allowing Black Dranzer to hit him twice more in rebound attacks before he could escape from the place where the dark blade was attempting to bury him.

_Shit, now what. He's faster than me now. He's even using the terrain against me. I have to stop him._

"I must say, I did like that move you made by using the trees. Hope you don't mind that I copied it. Why don't you just give up? Just give me your pathetic bit beasts and I'll let you go. You know your defenses are not strong enough to stop me."

"You should know us better than that," Takao felt obliged to answer Kai's taunts. "There is no way we would ever give up. You're the one that gives up. And if our bit beasts are so pathetic, why do you want them? Huh? Tell me that. And just so you truly understand, when we beat you, we won't let you go. We'll never just let you go, you're our friend, you idiot."

_Passionate, blunt, and insulting.__ That's our Takao._

"He's right, Kai. I won't give up. Not on myself, nor on you."

_~A stronghold's defenses are only as good as the foundation that it is built on.~_

Seeing a large, flat rock at the edge of the clearing, Max sent his blade spinning over to land directly on the middle of its surface. Black Dranzer followed immediately, but when it attacked the green blade, it was tossed off the rock by Draciel's defenses. Twice more, the black blade attacked, and twice more it was repulsed without inflicting any damage on the green blade. Max smiled as he saw the grin slip from Kai's face.

_Now that I have a solid foundation, I'll just let him wear himself out against me. Once he's worn down, I'll be able to take him easily._

"Alright, Max!" 

Takao was jumping for joy as he saw his friend's airtight defenses keeping the dark blade at bay. Black Dranzer continued to pound uselessly at Draciel, using the trees to gain height and momentum, but it was no use. The black blade glanced off the green blade, just like a bird's talons would glance off the hard shell of a tortoise.

"You only delay the inevitable. This is a fight you will not win."

"No, Kai," Max replied, sweeping his arm across his forehead and pushing back his blonde hair. "You still don't understand. I am fighting you because I want you to win. I don't know what happened to you, but this isn't you. You're fighting two battles here; one against me and one against yourself. I want you to win, no matter the cost."

"Fool," a snarl escaped Kai's mouth. "There is no conflict within me. Black Dranzer is absolute and I will prove it to you at the cost of your precious bit beast."

Throwing his head up, Kai screamed to the heavens.

"BLACK DRANZER, ATTACK!!!"

Max tensed as he saw an aura of black flames flare up behind Kai. He knew the battle would end soon, it was more than just blades now, it would be a battle of beasts. Dredging up the last off his strength, Max called his partner to battle.

"DRACIEL!!!"

The huge tortoise rose from the green blade, screaming its defiance at its opponent. The black phoenix let out its own piercing cries as if to announce its impending victory. The two beasts lunged at each other, the phoenix from above and the tortoise from below, and for a while it seemed the stalemate would last. Black fire enveloped the phoenix, cascading down over its opponent, but Max and Draciel wouldn't give an inch.  

Max could feel the heat of the flames that bathed Draciel and the steady pull of his strength as he gave everything he had to the battle. For a moment, the world spun before his eyes and Max slowly dropped to one knee, trying to keep the world in focus. Even then, though, he kept his eyes glued to the battle before him.

_I'm running out of energy. This has to end soon. _

Takao felt helpless as he watched his friend sink to his knees. His eyes darted back and forth between his friends and the battle that continued to rage. The blades continued to clash on the rock while high above them the powerful beasts wrestled for dominance.

"It's over."

Max glanced briefly away from the battle to see Kai's ice blue eyes boring into his.

"No, Kai! You can't!" Takao cried out, trying vainly to bring his friend to his sense.

It was too late already; the black phoenix made a dive towards Draciel, but at the last minute shifted its aim slightly. The dark blade came crashing down into the rock beside the green blade, shattering the rock and tossing Draciel haphazardly from it. Before the green blade could recover, Black Dranzer swept in from the side. The phoenix buried its talons into the soft under shell of the tortoise, pinning it to the ground. 

As the green blade shattered, the bit beast flared brightly before it too shattered into a million shimmering stars. The only sound heard was the blonde blader's screams of denial.

---------------------- 

Rei followed Hideaki through the house until at last they stopped before a closed door. The crimson eyed man smiled briefly at Rei before opening the door and gesturing for Rei to precede him inside. The Chinese blader didn't hesitate for a moment, he had already made the decision that he would follow the strange man to hell itself if only to get some answers that would help him find Kai. 

As he entered the room, he realized it was a small study. There was a desk with paperwork cluttered on its surface, several small bookcases, and a couple of comfortable chairs. He also noticed a small shelf directly below the room's eastern facing window. Or rather, he noticed the golden trophies gleaming in the morning light that were resting on said shelf. 

Crossing over to examine them closely, Rei discovered that they were beyblade trophies from various regional tournaments.

"I thought you said you didn't beyblade."

"I don't," Hideaki had followed Rei soundlessly across the room and stood at his shoulder. "Those aren't mine, my nephew won them."

"Your nephew, Ran?" Rei looked up over his shoulder to study the younger Houo brother's face.

"How did you know his name?" Hideaki grabbed Rei's shoulders and turned him forcibly around.

"I'm sorry. I overheard you and your brother speaking last night. I heard you mention him then."

"Ahh," the flaming, crimson eyes became muted again as the raven haired man released Rei. "I see. I guess it doesn't matter. But you were asking about the trophies, weren't you. Even though I didn't blade, Ran learned how when he was very little. It may be my own prejudice speaking, but he was very good."

"I was really proud of him," Hideaki chuckled, "and I'm sure he knew it. Every time he came up with a new move, he would drag me out into the woods to watch. He had limitless energy, it wore me out just watching him blade. And after he inherited his bit beast, he practiced even more. They made quite a good pair, Ran and his beautiful golden phoenix."

"Phoenix?" that had caught Rei's attention.

"Yes, the phoenix has been the guardian spirit for our clan for countless generations. Ran inherited it from my brother, Isamu. After he had been blading for awhile, the spirit chose him. It left my brother's sword and took its place in Ran's beyblade. I was so happy to see them become partners. I felt Zephyr was so ancient and wise, that surely he could keep my rambunctious nephew out of trouble."

Letting out a sigh, Hideaki turned away from Rei and the trophies and began restlessly going through books on the bookcase. Rei watched him, fascinated with his story. He somehow felt he was getting closer to figuring out the mysterious link between the two families.

"I didn't know how wrong I was until they disappeared a few years ago. It was tragic and changed so much in my family. I know I told you about how my brother is in denial, searching the surrounding woods everyday, hoping for a sign of his son. Well, I guess I'm in denial too. I know intellectually that it's no use, but somehow, I can't help but believe he's out there somewhere."

"I've been searching for him too, but in my own way. I knew how much he loved beyblading, and since we could find no sign of either him or Zephyr, I thought that the best way to find them would be to search for them in the world of beyblade."

Hideaki turned away from the shelf with a large scrapbook in his hands. Motioning for Rei to sit and join him, he dropped into one of the two chairs. Rei sat gracefully down beside him, looking curiously at the object in his hands.

"Here," the crimson eyed man handed him the book. "This is what I discovered in my research."

Rei opened the large scrapbook and was surprised to see the first page held the news story that came out when the BladeBreakers first formed. Turning the pages, he saw that each page held another newspaper article or photo about the 'Breakers and their travels and tournaments.

"It's all about us," Rei's voice trembled slightly as he continued to leaf through the pages. "Why is it all about us?"

"Truthfully, it's because of your friend, Kai," Hideaki answered softly. "I had been reading article after article, searching for anything that might be about Ran, and I found that first article you saw. It talked about each of you and mentioned your bit beasts. It didn't have any pictures, but what caught my attention was the word 'phoenix.' After that, I read everything about you and the others. I was desperately hoping that your friend might be my nephew. It took me a while to figure out that he wasn't."

"What made it take a while? What made you so sure that he's not?" Rei asked puzzled. _Surely he could recognize his own nephew._

"Take a closer look at those news photos," Hideaki laughed at Rei's questions before waving a hand carelessly at the new articles. "Your friend, Kai, certainly was camera-shy. I would even venture to guess that he was intent on keeping himself hidden."

Looking back at the photos, Rei understood what Hideaki was saying. Each photo was focused on the exuberant Takao. It was like the photographers couldn't help but be drawn to the charismatic boy. Each photo also showed himself and Max in various triumphant poses next to him. And each photo had a darker, hidden figure in the background. It was unsettling to see visible proof of how Kai had so easily distanced himself from them. Some pictures just showed an unfocused figure, some had a dark silhouette from poor lighting, and in others he was partially cut out of the picture.

"Always so alone," Rei whispered sadly to himself.

"It seemed strange to me that the newspapers had so much information on you and the others, but rarely had anything on him," Hideaki continued. "Then came the Russian tournament. Something big happened there, but the BBA seemed to be trying to keep it hushed up. I did learn one thing though. I learned that your friend Kai betrayed you and joined the Russian team. I knew then that he couldn't be Ran, Ran would never betray a friend."

"So if you don't think Kai is Ran anymore, why are you still interested in us?" Rei closed the book and looked over at Hideaki.

"That's easy. I believe that the boy you call friend is a traitor. That he was never your friend and that his betrayal of the 'Breakers was not the first time he has hurt and betrayed someone."

"You're wrong. He's our friend and would never do anything to hurt us. You don't even know him, why would you say such a thing!"

"There's something you don't understand," crimson eyes stared into amber. "You hold a tiger spirit, right? Just like your former team mates, the White Tigers, also hold tiger spirits. These guardian spirits are very much akin to real animals. Just like there are many tigers in the wild, there are many tiger spirits. The phoenix is different; there is only one phoenix spirit. Do you understand? Our guardian spirit is Zephyr, a golden phoenix. So, you tell me, just how is it possible for your friend to hold the phoenix when there can only be one phoenix?"

Rei didn't have time to ponder Hideaki's question. The frantic cries of his friend Kenny penetrated the house from outside.

"Rei?!? Rei, where are you?"

Racing out of the house with the crimson eyed man at his heels, Rei was startled to see the chief was a complete wreck. The brunette's glasses were tilted askew on his face, his short hair was plastered to his sweaty face, and his arms and hands showed evidence of his struggles with bushes and trees in his flight to reach Rei.

"Thank god, Rei," Kenny cried out in relief when he saw his friend. "We have to hurry. Takao and Max need you."

"What's happened?" Rei moved to his friend's side.

"It's Kai," Kenny was trying to catch his breath and tell Rei what was happening at the same time. He wasn't being very successful. "Kai showed up. He challenged them. They didn't want to fight. He attacked me."

The chief was panting between sentences and would have tried to go on if Rei hadn't silenced him with a raised hand.

"Got it. You found Kai, but now he's in a big battle against Takao and Max." Kenny nodded mutely at this, taking big gulps of air. "Then we better get to them quickly. Something tells me they're going to need all the help they can get. Lead the way."

Kenny let out a sigh before taking a large breath of air and sprinting back towards the trees. Rei was right behind him. He spared no glance at the young man he left behind. At this point he didn't care what Hideaki did, the only thing that mattered was getting to his friends in time.

_I can't believe we finally found Kai, and now we have to fight against him. It's not right, it's not fair. I won't choose between friends. There has to be a way to save everyone. Hang on guys. I'm coming. _

_Hold on Kai, I promised I would be there for you. Please, just wait a little longer for me._

_I just hope I can get there in time._

--------------------

Takao's blade was launched before he even realized it. He had listened to Max when his friend told him not to interfere. And because of that, he had watched, helplessly, as his friend lost his battle and his bit beast. He was done watching, it was time to fight.

"Go Dragoon!"

_I can't hold back. This has to end._

The white blade raced past Max's kneeling form, aiming directly for its enemy. But even with Dragoon's speed, the blade did not reach its opponent in time. By the time it impacted with Black Dranzer, the dark phoenix had already devoured Draciel.

"Kai, how could you?" 

Takao's anger only increased as he heard his friend's quavering voice. Determined to defeat the dark beast, he decided to use a strong offense. He had watched as Max held back on calling Draciel to the field, but he wasn't going to do the same. In a blinding flash of light, the blue dragon rose from his blade crying out its rage at the black phoenix.

"You may have captured Draciel, but you won't be so lucky with me," Takao yelled defiantly at Kai.

Strangely, there was no reply from Kai. The icy blader stood silently watching as Dragoon began grappling with Black Dranzer. His face was slack, the twisted smile had fallen from his face and his head was bowed slightly down, allowing his slate hair to fall forward and hide his intense blue eyes. He seemed to not be paying much attention to the battle; he was completely lost in himself.

Takao took advantage of this fact and directed Dragoon in a speed attack. The white blade attacked from all angels as the spirit of the Dragon sank its teeth into the soft tissues at the base of the phoenix's left wing. The black phoenix cried out, but strangely did not attempt to fight back. Takao didn't know and didn't care about what was distracting his opponent; he only poured more power into his bit beast hoping to end the battle sooner.

"why…"

Takao almost missed the soft question that came from his ex-team mate.  

"Why?" the soft voice turned into one full of anguish and rage. "He was so full. So much light and energy. Why can't I have it?"

The void had devoured a being that was not empty, but was only now discovering the extent of its own echoing hollow. Unfortunately, a void is not like a glass that can be filled if one were only to place enough into it. A true void can never be filled. In fact, the emptiness only grows when something is placed inside. It is like a man dying of thirst; a small sip of water will not save the man, will not quench the desperate need, it will only show the man what he is truly lacking. Black Dranzer was so empty, so void of everything that nothing in this world would be enough to fill it. It could only, fleeting, sample that which filled others, before that feeling was lost in its own aching emptiness.

"No, it can't be. I won't allow it to be like this." Kai's gaze lifted to stare at Takao. "I will capture them all, devour every beast out there. I will fill myself with them. I won't allow you to stop me."

The black flames roared to life around the phoenix, scorching the blue dragon and forcing him to release the phoenix. The black blade was no longer an unresisting opponent, it began striking back. The dark blade met the light blade, giving it blow for blow. Soon both blades were decorated with gashes, but neither would give in to the other.

_How can he still be fighting? He fought against Max and now me, with no break. Kai should be exhausted, there's no way he has enough energy to keep going. If I fought like that, Dragoon would long ago have returned to his bit, I just wouldn't have any strength to give him anymore._

"Give up, Kai. I know you can't go on much longer. I'm going to stop you here."

Takao began walking towards the battle until he reached the point where Max knelt on the ground in shock. Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he tried to give Max a little of his support and strength.

"Don't worry, Max. We'll get Draciel back right after I've kicked his butt."

"Sure we will," Max smiled up at him sadly. "That's what we do, right? Beat the bad guys."

"You can boast as much as you want, but when this battle is done, I will be the only one standing. Black Dranzer! Flame Arrow!!!!"

Takao decided to meet the attack head on. Dragoon raced towards the dark phoenix, the wind screaming around him forming a funnel cloud.

"Dragoon, Phantom Hurricane!"

The black flames met the wall of wind with the force of an explosion.

-------------------tbc

Aahhh, it feels so good to post ^_^

Hope the slow update didn't drive you guys off. I know it looks like we are getting to the end, but, just so I don't surprise anyone, there will be several more chapters even after the final battles among the 'Breakers. I'm 2/3 to ¾ of the way through this story. It won't be over until I feel I have solved all the mysteries for you. I wouldn't want to leave you guys hanging, you're too good for me to do that to you.

I hope you guys enjoyed the bey battles, they are very difficult to write. I can't seem to get a dramatic feeling from them. That's probably why I put in that dream and the talk with Rei and Hideaki, I had to spice the chapter up with some variety.

For everyone that reviewed, Thanks!!!

Okay there are quite a few of these *_* I just feel I owe each of you a response, so I'm going to keep doing this. Unfortunately, I think I also got my first flame ;_; I'm going to try to give this person the benefit of the doubt, that they didn't mean it like it sounds, so Leslie, I've put you in the special thanks section, too. Everyone I love reviews, even ones with constructive criticism, but I don't tolerate personal flames. Flame my ideas or my story, but you don't know me and judgment calls on a person you don't know are just pitiful. 

**Special Thanks to:**

**Eyriess****:** Since you just looove cliffhangers, I hope you enjoyed this one ^_~ *giggles* I'm so happy you are enjoying my story. I'm not sure if you'll like this chapter. Kai obviously won the first battle, and maybe the second, but so far the only ones crying 'no' are his friends *MWAHAhahahaha* I'm so evil. The next couple chapters will have what I consider the more important battles, his fight against himself and his fight against Rei. Stick around!

**Hitokiri**** Elf slayer of evil: **Thanks for the praise, glad you are enjoying the story. If you like, feel free to check out my other fics *shameless plug* Catch ya next chapter!!

**Jae****: ***_* I so love getting your reviews!!! I'm glad that you seem to be picking up on the emotions I'm trying to impart with my story. Poor Kai is so tortured, I really wanted to give him someone who loved him completely. Hence Nadya, not his blood mother, but someone who would give anything for him. As for BD, this may sound weird, but this is a reflection of my feelings on genetic manipulation. It's sort of a 'what if.' What if we created something, but we messed up. Through no fault of its own, this living being would never be anything but a mistake. And it being a mistake, does that give us the right to destroy/kill it for being what we made it. A truly pitiful thought, ne? Thanks again for reading, I'm looking forward to your next review ^_^

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: **There, there. I'm sure you're not evil. Definitely no more evil than Kai is. Of course, Kai seems pretty evil in this chapter ^_~ Glad you are enthusiastically enjoying my cliffies ^_^ Hope you continue to do so.

**KeenaSky****: ***giggles* One thumb up, can't do better than that. Glad you liked the chapter. Bey battles are hard @_@ I like drama and angst, I feel like I'm getting out of practice by doing the lighter stuff. Hope you enjoyed this one as well, sorry for the long wait.

**Droopy1389: ***laughs hysterically* I like the idea of Kai taking out his problems with a baseball bat. It would definitely make things easier, can you imagine….Voltaire: "Kai, with you I will take over the world, mwahahah *bong* Voltaire falls over with Kai grinning behind him. Make a very short but fun fanfic, ne? Oh, and you might want to lay off the sugar ^_~

**Ashla****: **I definitely seem to have a mean streak, ne. I can't help it, the chapter doesn't seem to be complete if I don't feel like I've come to the perfect stopping point. Well, perfect for me at least ^_^ There were a couple good stopping places in this chapter, but I felt you guys deserved a long chapter for your patient wait. Hope you enjoyed! Ja ne!

**TyKa**** Forevermore:** Glad you liked. The silver talon…hmmm….who knows….maybe they will be able to remove it, maybe they won't. Maybe Kai will just have to endure his bond to BD for the rest of his life, however short that may be *mwahahaha* *giggles* Just playing with you now ^_~

**HimekoSukie****:** Yeah!!Another reader who has figured out the family ties. You got it! Did you recognize where I got Nadya's dying words from? It's their tradition, her answer to his nightly question of why she calls him Akemi. Remember Akemi means dawn. I've been planning that dying breath since I named him. Did you see it? Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Stay with me! *blushes* Boy, I've been bad. I usually am not so bad about updating. *GOMENASAI!!!!!!!!* I tried sending you Kai's flames last time, but the email address didn't work. I'm trying again, but if you don't get it, please email me directly and I can send it back to you in a reply. Cross your fingers, it's going now.

**Dawn35: **BD is an interesting character, ne? I hope you aren't disappointed in the battle between Kai and Max, or Kai and Takao. Poor boys are just no match for our super strong and recently warped bishonen ;_; Poor Kai.

**DragonBlade****: ***laughs* yes, Kai definitely seems mean this time, but take heart, that's not really Kai. That is BD in possession of Kai. Confusing, but important. Kai has mentally run and escaped from BD, but that means he left his body in BD's possession. To save himself and his friends, he's going to have to fight back from the darkness and take back his body. Wish him luck!

**Artemis347:** Sorry for the slow update. To answer your question, that is not Tala. I know everyone loves Tala, but I didn't figure him into my story, so he probably won't be making an appearance. Got too many plot bunnies in the air as it is, just can't work in another one at this point. Catch ya next chappie.

**Icy blade anonymous1250:** *laughs* so many questions. I'll be nice, since I haven't updated in so long. Nadya and Hedeon/Gavriil are not blood related to each other or anyone else in the story. Gavriil/Hedeon's family has served Voltaire's family for generations. Nadya was merely hired by Voltaire to raise Kai. Nadya means hope, Marya can mean longed for child or sea of bitterness. As for poor Hotaru, Voltaire killed her as soon as Marya was born. He had only kidnapped her for the sole purpose of having his child, once Marya was born, Hotaru was of no use. Hope that cleared some of it up. You'll have to keep reading for the rest ;P 

**Mega-gurl X: **^_^ I'm cool!!, well, at least my story is. I'm so thrilled and surprised by all the reviews I've received, you guys are the best!! I didn't expect so many people to find and enjoy this story, my other story got what I would say were a fair number of reviews, but that was before this one. Now they seem a bit pitiful, but still very dear to my heart. Thanks for the praise, hope you continue to enjoy this story!!

**Khnum****:** I really wanted to use imagery for my take on BD, glad it worked well. As for the plot thickening, I thought I was actually beginning to clear things up @_@ Oh well, I can I'm too devious for my own good *laughs* Kai is definitely fun to write as evil. Next chapter I'm going to try to show him fighting to escape his own darkness. I have my ideas floating around for it, but I'm not sure yet how to put it together. Oh well, we'll see how it goes. Ja ne!

**Leslie:** I'm hoping that when you say I'm a 'sad, sad human,' that you are trying to tell me that you find my story sad. That makes sense to me, it is meant to be sad. However, you are missing the overall theme of my story, it's not despair, it's hope. Kai has been through so much, he has endured and now he is fighting to escape that darkness and to learn the true meaning of the friendship and love that his friends offer him. For all the darkness, I hold true to the idea that we are all basically good, even is some of us become corrupted by darkness. I hope you continue to read and enjoy my story; after all you already made it through 21 chapters so far. However, if this is a personal flame and you think that somehow you know me enough to make judgment calls on who I am, then I feel obliged to tell you, further personal flames will be laughed at and ignored.

**Keiko:** Thanks for the great review. I'm so thrilled you are enjoying the story so far. I hope you enjoy the pic. I'm sending it as I'm getting ready to post this ^_^ Ja ne!! Wow, turn my story into a movie. That would be awesome. I can see it so clearly, but maybe then you guys could see everything as clearly as I do. *_* Awesome idea *giggles*

**LaDiNi****: ***giggles* Definitely lots of questions. Nope, I was bad, didn't post by my b-day. My bad ~_~ And we didn't get to see Rei take Kai on, but maybe next chapter ^_^ As for Kai remembering his friends, the answer is yes and no ^_~ Kai would remember them if he was the one fighting them, but he's not. That's BD masquerading as Kai. Kai is lost in his memories, very far from his friends and their plight. Of course, you are right about one thing, Rei is coming to the rescue and he's bringing Dranzer with him. The only problem is if he and Dranzer will be able to reach Kai. *laughs* Stick around and see!!

**Kai baby-girl:** *laughs* @_@ Your review was so long and danced around so much. I feel like I've been spun around on the dance floor. I see what you mean about universes and souls. They are very complex ideas and have so many fun ways to interpret them. I'm glad you like my OC characters, they are very important to the story and how the characters in it developed. There are definitely some cliché ideas out there; Kai going bad, fighting his friends, Kai being kidnapped, and so on. I wanted to take those fun ideas and make them my own. I wanted to make a very believable story about what made Kai into the boy he became. I'm thrilled that you also think that I'm keeping the main characters true to themselves. Of course they are being tainted with my views on them, ie. Takao being Takao ^_~ I also wanted to show how the characters thought of each other. Sort of confusing, seeing how it is my views on how they view others (and we're back to running in circles @_@) Hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry for the long wait. And, by the way, I LOVE cookies *_*

**Firen103: **Sorry, I missed my deadline of my b-day, but I did have a great day ^_^ As you found out in this chapter, BD did defeat and devour Draciel, now you'll have to wait and see if it did the same to Dragoon. And what about Rei? Will he get there in time? Time to save Dragoon? Or time to watch him get devoured? It's so fun to chase these little plot bunnies, ne?

**Buggasnot25:** Thanks for the review. The rest is coming; slowly (it seems) but surely!

**Mako****-Magic:** *laughs* I take it you just found my loooong story? Hope it's worth it ^_^ Welcome aboard, hope you stay with me.

**Fire of ****Phoenix****:** Beyblade can definitely be fun, It's sometimes hard to find a good tortured fic, but it's not so hard if you find a good tortured character (like Kai *_*). I love GW fics too, strangely enough, Heero, the lead, ansgty charater, is not someone I care anything about. I love Quatra. Odd, ne. In BeyBlade, I like the silent, tortured Kai. In GW, I like the soft-spoken, innocent Quatra. Two more different people you would be troubled to find. Well, I hope you continue enjoying my story!

**Ellen:** *laughs* Great imagery. *bouncy, bouncy* Yes, this Evil Authoress definitely seems to enjoy her torture, ne? And her cliffies. It's taken me so long to update, your probably lying in a heap at the base of the cliff by now. *my bad* Well, this isn't a soap, so Hedeon is definitely not the father. *laughs* It does seem a bit like one though, doesn't it ^_~ Anyways, hope you enjoyed, see ya next chappie!

**Soul Clara:** Thanks for the review. Sorry for the slow update. Hope you enjoy!

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: **Glad you like my chapter names. I'm proud of them too, but I'm working from a good source. *Thanks Mudvayne!!*  Hope you liked this chapter, see ya next time.

**Gillian Sillis:** *giggles* Thanks for the reviews, and the bullying. Sometimes I need a bit of encouragement to knock me off my butt and get to work ^_~ Sorry it took so long. Hope you enjoy this one!

**SquirrelOfShadows****:** *laughs* Yea, you did a great job of laying of Sasuke (thick sarcasm here). Glad you liked the chapter. Hope you liked the battles. Catch ya next chappie!!

Wow!!!

Done, that took a while. I hope everyone enjoyed. Please don't forget to leave a little light (sunlight, not light from the roasting author) *laughs* Bring the Sun!!!!!

BTW, the next chapter will be **Depression or Darkness**


	23. Depression or Darkness

**Disclaimer: **Hmm, while I don't own BeyBlade, I think I'll take a trademark out on Kai's blue flames

**Warning: **Major confusion ahead. Purely psychological torment, no violence, no blood.

**Author's Note:** Still being beaten up by viruses, but determined as ever to post This chapter is a bit shorter than the last few, but it had everything that I intended to put in and so I had to end it where I did. I hope you enjoy.

Everyone seems to think I turned Kai evil in the last few chapters. I didn't, really. You believe me, right? _laughs_ Alright, I see you need proof. Keep reading. You see, while BD battled his friends, he wasn't there, not really. He was trapped in his own subconscious. I'll even be nice and let you visit him there. Please be aware, nothing is more confusing than the inner workings of our own minds. Hope you don't get lost with Kai.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXIII: Depression or Darkness**

"Kai!!"

_Who?_

"Kai, man, you wouldn't believe how happy we are to see you. We've been searching all over for you. You sure know how to make an entrance."

_Who's calling me? There's no one here. Why do I keep hearing those two voices? Why do they sound like they know me?_

Kai nuzzled closer into the arms of the one who embraced him. Closing his eyes, he tried to shut out the voices that seemed determined to call out to him, determined to tear him from the peace he had found in the ethereal arms.

"Kai?"

_No, I don't know you. Leave me alone. Stop calling to me. Everything is alright now. I'm with her. I love her. I know everything will be alright, because it has to be. She won't leave me alone, she wouldn't. She loves me. As long as I'm here, we will always be together. As long as I'm here, nothing bad will happen. Please…please…just leave me alone_

"We're your friends, don't you remember?"

The small child shook his head trying to banish the voices. He buried his face into her long black hair, inhaling deeply and trying desperately to cling to the moment.

_The sweet scent of cherry blossoms.___

Despite his desperation to hold on, the child felt himself pulled forward. He fought it and managed to halt his progress, but it didn't stop him from seeing what he would experience if time resumed its pace.

With time stopped here, he wouldn't have to acknowledge her death. This was one of the most important moments of his young life. In this fraction of a second, Nadya was still alive to him. This was the moment after her last breath, the very brief moment he experienced while he waited for her next breath. It was a breath that would never come, an absence which would destroy his world.

_Nonono__.__ Please stop. I don't want to see it. _

Clinging to Nadya's silent form in that moment between life and death, Kai was unable to stop the visions. Mercifully he was only an observer, but he knew that if he released his tight grip on his memory, he would have to live it all again.

He watched as the train ground to a halt at the next station. The two still forms that he knew to be himself and Nadya remained frozen in place. The child embraced the young woman, refusing to release her even when the motion of the train stopping threw them sideways against the seat. He did not release her until two large, silent men stepped into the cabin and tore her from his arms. Kai could only watch as the men tossed her limp body aside like a broken doll and started to drag his younger self from the compartment. The boy fought to stay, fought to reach her, but ultimately was forced to leave her body to lie alone on the floor.

_No. I can't leave her alone. She needs me…I need her. She means too much to me, I can't just leave her there. I can't abandon her like this. I have to stay. I need to stay. Please, let me stay._

Pulling away from the vision, Kai tried to erase it from his mind. He knew that if only he could stay with her in that moment, then the events he just saw would never have to happen.

"Hey, Kai. What the hell is wrong with you? We're your friends, you jerk!"

_I don't have any friends. Ran was the only friend I have ever had and I can't ever see him again. It'd be too dangerous. I'm too dangerous, I can't ever have friends. _

Kai leaned his cheek against Nadya's, taking comfort in the softness.

_The gentle touch._

"We'll never just let you go, you're our friend."

The two clear, tenor voices continued to invade his peace. They tugged insistently at his consciousness, like small hands tugging at the sleeve of a friend trying to get his attention. The unrelenting voices tore his thoughts from Nadya's embrace and dragged him forward. Denied his peace, he found that he no longer had the privilege of being an observer. This time he was trapped in the experience as the horror of his life unfolded before him.

Kai found himself being dragged through the hallways hidden deep under the abbey. His small body was weak from shock and blood loss and he was unable to fight the two men, each of whom held one of his arms. Fighting to stay conscious, he caught brief glimpses of people as they passed. Gavriil had been the first person he saw as he was dragged into the abbey. The tall blonde had been standing at the front entrance, smiling cruelly at him. He had not said a single word as Kai was dragged past him; he merely opened the door with a flourish and bowed mockingly when Kai looked up at him.

Kai also thought he saw his mother as he was carried deeper, but he wasn't sure. The world around him had begun to grow dim. It seemed like his vision was somehow growing narrower, like he was looking out of a tunnel. But still he thought he saw her. Just a glimpse, a spare second when he thought he saw deep, green eyes peering out from the slight opening that led to his mother's room. He didn't have time to confirm it though, he was carried past too quickly. The men escorting him were eager to deliver him to his grandfather.

_No, it never happened. I'm with her. She didn't die. This didn't happen!!_

Kai knew what was going to happen, but couldn't escape the pull that continued to drag him forward. He struggled uselessly against it, trying to escape the events that were inevitable.

"Kai."

Kai's eyes grew wide in horror, this voice he knew. His vision sharpened as he focused up at his grandfather. The imposing man stood over him, watching as his pet scientists strapped the boy facedown on the table.

"I'm disappointed in you. I give you everything and you try to run away. I'm afraid your punishment will be quite severe this time." Motioning one of the scientists to his side, he spoke to the man, his eyes never leaving Kai's face. "You've had your instructions, but I think I'd like to add to them. His punishment will be no good if he is not awake enough to experience it."

"I understand, sir," The man grinned down maliciously at Kai. "Please leave it to me."

Voltaire stayed long enough to see the scientist injected Kai with a syringe of burning chemicals. He watched, almost curiously, as Kai's eyes seemed to gain focus and light. With a last, approving nod, he left without another word.

Kai soon learned the reason for the burning chemicals. He was forced to understand when the men removed the bullet from his left shoulder blade. Kai felt the instruments digging into his flesh, fishing for the small piece of metal. The pain was intense. He longed for the darkness to take him, for the release of oblivion that unconsciousness would give him. But despite the pain, he found no release. The drug had not been an anesthetic, no, that would have taken away from his punishment. Oblivion was denied to him; the chemicals burning through his veins would not release him from his agony.

Kai managed to hold in his pain, he kept his lips clamped down to prevent its escape. He refused to cry out and give the demons any satisfaction. When the bullet had finally been removed and the wound sutured closed, Kai was panting from his efforts. If he had been able to cry, he would have wept in relief that it was finally over.

Kai heard the men around him moving away, slowly cleaning the room and departing one at a time. He tried to slow his breathing, tried to regain some control of his trembling body. At last, his tremors stopped and from the noises around him, he knew that only one scientist remained. He waited, trying to push the man out faster with his thoughts. He wanted to be alone. He wanted time to pull himself back together. Finally, he heard the door open and almost released a sigh of relief. But the relief never came.

"Finally," a soft voice said over him, addressing the person who had just entered, "I thought you would never get here. Did Lord Voltaire give you your instructions?"

A rude grunt was the only answer before Kai felt another stab of pain in his arm, followed by the usual burning sensation traveling up his arm.

"Hope you're ready for this kid. Now that we're done, it's time for your punishment."

Kai felt a cold chill run down his back as the last scientist left him alone with the newcomer. _That wasn't my punishment? What do they have planned? What could be worse?_

"Pretty nice scar you're going to have there, kid," a gruff voice spoke as a calloused hand brushed over his recently mended shoulder. "But don't worry about it kid, I'll fix it up for you real pretty."

Kai felt a sharp needle invade his skin at the site of his newly closed wound. He closed his eyes waiting for the usual feeling of fire from the needle. But instead of the burning chemicals, he felt another needle stab into his shoulder blade. For some reason, this one hurt more then the first. The third needle caused so much pain that he let out a small gasp of surprise. With each stick the pain seemed to multiple, he couldn't understand why the pain kept increasing. By the tenth needle he didn't care, small whimpers of pain were fighting past his lips. By the twentieth needle he had lost count, his screams resounding throughout the small room. Countless needles continued to stab into him, their pain enhanced by the final injection of the departing scientist.

He felt the mark of his punishment forming with each stab; blue flames of ice that spread from his wound to curl possessively around his body and face.

_NO! Nadya!! It hurts! Make it stop!_

Kai's spirit fled from the pain. He could feel the moment he wanted just out of reach. Clawing through his memories, he struggled to reach her. But to reach her, he needed to deny everything. Deny his future that had become his past. Deny her death, deny his friends, deny himself.

_ …please…just stop…_

"He's right, Kai. I won't give up. Not on myself, nor on you."

_The loving presence._

Kai's body seemed to be consumed by heat. He wanted desperately to reach Nadya, but couldn't find her. Tossing restlessly, he felt a soft bed below him, its blankets damp with his sweat. Opening his eyes, the world was a confusing blur. Everything hurt; his eyes, his body, his heart. A soft moan escaped him, the quiet sound loud in the silent room.

Trying to escape the heat that seemed to infuse him, Kai rolled to his left and felt a starburst of pain radiating out from his left shoulder blade. His sharp cry of pain brought a cool cloth to his forehead. The damp cloth eased his pain a little, seeming to leech away the heat that was trying to consume him.

_Something's wrong. This isn't right. I shouldn't be here. I don't want to be here. I want to be with…_

_Nadya?_

Small hands reached out to grasp weakly at the hand holding the damp cloth. Kai felt his confusion growing as he tried to put his memories in order.

_I was with Nadya…on the train. She was shot. No! Why can't I stay with her? I was brought to the abbey. I was punished. Why can't I get back to her? This happened after…after I was punished. I remember. I was sick. She took care of me. But how? Nadya died. Who?_

Looking out of the eyes of his younger self, Kai saw the cloth taken away from his face. As he watched, the slender form beside him turned away, freshening the cloth in cool water. It was only when she turned back that Kai saw the deep, emerald eyes looking down at him from his mother's face.

_God.__ Why do I have to remember this? Why can't you leave me alone? I don't want to remember this. I want to stay with Nadya. I don't care about this. I don't care about anything that happened after Nadya…_

"No, Kai! You can't!"

Despite his denial, Kai remembered everything. This was just the first night that he woke after his punishment. The pain from his punishment had combined with an infection from his wound and had taken hold of him. Day and night, he was wracked with fever. Day and night, he was pulled into hallucinations. Kai was forced to see Nadya's death play out in front of him again and again. And each time, soothing hands would pull him from his nightmares. Gentle hands that would reassure him that it was only a dream. Hands that should have belonged to Nadya, but that Kai would understand couldn't be. So he was forced into a cycle of pain; seeing her death, feeling comforted by her, and then feeling his grief again as he realized she was truly gone.

_No, I won't accept this. I can't go through this again. I won't let her die again._

Kai pulled away from his memories and retreated deeper into his mind. Retreating from the voices calling out to him, reaching out, wishing only for…

_The cool embrace.___

So Kai made his choice. He chose to stay in her embrace, to stay in the memory. It didn't matter that the cherry blossoms were tainted with blood or that her warm arms were cool in death. In her embrace, he didn't have to acknowledge her death or endure the pain that followed. He didn't have to see anything that happened after; the pain, the betrayals, the destruction. Kai finally regained that moment he had been searching for. Smiling, he reached out to embrace Nadya's phantom, letting his recalled memories fade away into oblivion.

"Stop!"

Kai froze as a new voice invaded his consciousness. The voice held so many emotions in it: fear, pain, worry, grief. He felt drawn to the voice and briefly turned away from Nadya. He saw an image of a Chinese boy staring at him with bright, amber eyes.

_Who? Who is he? Is he one of the voices I've been hearing? Why do they keep calling? Why do they care? No, they don't care about me, they can't. Nadya's the only one whose ever cared._

"This isn't you, Kai. You wouldn't do this to us. I believe in you, you would never hurt your friends."

At his protests, the once fading memories flooded Kai's consciousness, forming a barrier to his memory of Nadya.

--

Kai stood beside a small dish in a sunlit meadow. Across from him stood a boy a little older than him with intense, crimson eyes. The boy was smiling at him, but when Kai didn't return the expression, the boy's smile faded.

--

Kai was trapped in a cell. He knelt holding a boy in his arms, but was unable to see him in the dim light. Kai trembled in fear and sadness as he held the boy tightly to his chest. Kai felt a small hand reach out to take his, his right pinky captured by the boy's.

"Don't worry, Kai, remember our promise? Best friends. I told you I'd always be there for you. No matter what. And I don't intend to break that promise."

--

Kai was blading in a large, empty warehouse. Across the dish, he could see a loud-mouthed bluenette who was wearing cap on backwards. The battle was intense, with both blades making spectacular scores on one another.

--

He stood beside the bench watching as a brunette boy was typing away furiously at his laptop. A blond and blunette boy were training together, trading light taunts and laughter.

--

A Chinese boy with long, black hair was standing proudly beside a large bey dish. As Kai watched, the boy was cut by invisible winds, yet he still refused to back down from his battle. Kai watched helplessly as the boy won his match and collapsed bonelessly to the floor.

--

A loud hotel room, filled with laughing children, all celebrating their friends' triumph. A lonely walk in the frozen Russian night. A loud explosion rocking the hotel room, tossing him and the Black-haired blader to the floor. Time seemed to speed forward, showing Kai both the best and worst moments of his life.

_I remember them. Takao, Kenny, Max, Rei. My team. My friends? No, I don't want to remember. I only caused them pain, that's all I ever give others. They're better off without me_

_I'm sorry…_

Kai pushed away the memories that seemed to block him from Nadya. The voices calling out to him seemed to grow softer, until he could barely hear them. As he embraced Nadya, he heard a last, almost silent call.

"I'm sorry, Kai. This is the only thing I can do. We need you."

Kai no longer heard or saw anything. His entire existence was suddenly engulfed in gold and crimson flames.

-------tbc

Confusion seems to be my specialty, ne? Or maybe it's cliffies

Everyone still there? Kai's a great guy, but I'd hate to think I lost one of you in his mind _giggles_ To clarify (if needed) Everything takes place in Kai's mind and memories. Kai has a choice to make; he can live in the darkness and hide from his sorrow, or he can accept his sadness/depression and come back to the light. It's a tough choice and his friends, of course, are doing their best to bring him back to the light. Wonder what he'll choose…

Did you guys like the origin of his tattoo? I just love the visuals that come to mind with it If you remember the chapter where Hedeon is torturing him, trying to flay the tattoo off him, that alluded to this. Nadya's death sort of caused Kai's life to spiral down from there. He was injured, then marked, or branded, by his Grandfather. And since he was recaptured, he still will have to face Ran. This of course, all leads up to the destruction of the abbey and his mother's death.

_laughs_

I hope everyone is still with me. I thought since this chapter was so short and confusing, I'd give a sort of straight answer summary to some events. Of course there are still plenty of mysteries left

I am being nice, a reviewer asked about how I'm naming chapters. I'll show you after the special thanks.

**Special Thanks to:**

**Ashla****:** Glad you are enjoying my fic. I'm getting closer to the end, but still have a ways to go Hope you stay around while I try to finish this long and really convoluted story BTW, what's Slán slán mean? Is it Gaelic? Ja ne!

**Kai the Ruthless blader: **Thanks for the review. To answer your question, Black Dranzer absorbed Draciel into itself after shattering Max's blade in battle. Now he is after Takao's. Next chapter should give the results of that battle. See you then!

**Droopy1389: **_giggles_ My, someone is on a sugar high! Definitely makes for an energetic review Hope you enjoy this chapter as well, have a cookie and I'll see you then.

**LaDiNi****:** _blushes in shame_ Gomen, I know I should have emailed you. I'll remember this time, I think. I am anxiously awaiting Rei and Kai's reunion as well. And don't worry, there's no way Hideaki will miss it. So pretty soon, there will be a confrontation between Kai and Hideaki (still trying to decide if Isamu will show up too, but that might complicate things too much) _giggles_ Hope you enjoyed.

**Jae****:** I hope you are feeling better. It sucks to be sick, but there can be perks. I actually found ffnet when I was stuck in bed for a month, saved me from dying of boredom. Hope you had lots of yummy chicken noodle soup and sprite and some good reads. Thanks for the review, I'm so glad that BD is really speaking to you. The idea of longing for something that is forever out of one's reach can be very real and is very tragic. I want people to feel sorrow for it, even if they hate it's actions. Strange combo, ne.

As for the dream, you're not off at all. That's the great thing with imagery; everyone reads something into it, sort of like abstract art. I put a lot of imagery in the dream on purpose. Definitely, Rei has faith in Kai. It also foreshadows potential problems; the halo of can be symbolic of an angel, of death, or of something unattainable. Rei is definitely afraid he won't be able to get to Kai in time to save him. Everyone gets to see his dream and have their own interpretations of it, so fun! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. See ya next chapter!

**HimekoSukie****: **I'm glad you enjoyed the pic, I definitely thing it's cool. Thanks for the great praise, it was much appreciated! I'm glad you saw the night time ritual in his name. I just thought it was so touching, a pure moment of love that is always there between them. There is no comfort as strong as knowing that someone loves you unconditionally. Now of course, Kai has to leave that moment and fight back through his grief or his friends are going to be doomed. Wish him luck.

**Ellen: **_laughs_ Don't worry if you fall, I know CPR Your reviews always give me a smile. I definitely agree that Kai would look good with blue eyes. As for Tala, unfortunately, he won't be in this fic. I find him interesting, but the story is complex enough with the characters already in it. I don't think I could possible introduce anyone else into it. Perhaps in the sequel _giggles_ As for clearing everything up… I'm not called the Evil Authoress for no reason. I'm going to let everyone sink in the quicksand for a while before I make it all clear. If you can believe it, this entire story started from the idea of the myth of the phoenix. Such a fantastic idea, the idea of death and rebirth in flames. I really do like to hide clues _laughs_ You should look at my story summary again, this story is all about the phoenix. Enjoy!!

**Fey Phantom:** _basking in the light_ Glad to hear from you. So I can just tell all the annoyed readers that you said it was okay to take my time ?? _laughs_ I'm glad you are enjoying the story, I definitely am having fun with my portrayal of Black Dranzer. He's as much of a tragic character as Kai is, in his own way. I can't take credit for the 'bluenette' description, I admit to reading it in several others stories and loving it, too! I understand what you're saying about work and stress. I'm working a lot more these days, and now my sleep/wake schedule is all screwed up. Hard to write, when I sleep the daylight away, talk about living in the darkness Have no fear, though, I fully intend on finishing this off! See ya later!!

**EvilS****: **I'm glad you are finding this interesting. I'm trying to make it as intriguing as I can. As for slightly confusing, I'm hurt….it's supposed to be confusing as hell laughs I do promise it will clear up. Please feel free to ask about anything that is too confusing, I will answer anything that I don't feel will ruin the plot.

**Artemis347: **_giggles _Attack of the puppy eyes, ne? Don't worry, this train will continue until it reaches the end of the line. Poor Kai is definitely lost, hiding in fact. Maybe he'll see the light in the next chapter…

**Firen103:** Glad you are enjoying. Naming my chapters is not hard at all. I'll even share the secret with you if you read down a little bit. Hope you continue to enjoy the chapters. I will update as quickly as I'm able.

**Jouka**** no Kou: **I hope you enjoy the pic, LaDiNi did a great job with it. You're pretty close to my name, at least halfway. Haruka does mean distant or far.(you are smart!!) No one else has even guessed. I don't think it's a bad name for a person that is online, because even though you could live next door to me, you'd never know it. I'm as far as a distant planet online. Hmm… your name's a bit difficult…so many possibilities for kou. Give me a hint? Catch ya next chappie!!

Again, thanks to everyone who is enjoying my story. You give me so much light For anyone who wondered, I know I have said that Mudvayne's song 'World so Cold' has influenced my story. It is not what brought forth the idea, but it has definitely helped shape it. The story started as a seed of thought about the myth of the phoenix, and how I could show it with Kai. From there, there were certain images I saw. Like the destruction of the abbey, the blue flame tattoo, Kai's battle with his friends, his relationship with Ran, the origin of Black Dranzer. Then I heard the song on the radio and some of the lyrics really spoke to me. They helped everything fall into place at the right moments. So, whether you've heard the song or not, I thought I'd share the lyrics with you. You can see where I've been, and maybe where I'm going. If you don't care about this, feel free to skip to the end (there's a little button that leads to reviews there )

**World So Cold **  
  
When **_passion's lost_** and all the **_trust is gone_**,  
Way too far, for **_way too long_**  
**_Children crying_**, **_cast out and neglected_**,  
Only in a world **so cold**, only in a world this cold  
**_Hold the hand of your best friend_**, **_look into their eyes_**,  
Then watch them **_drift away_**  
Some might say, we've **_done the wrong things_**,  
For way too long, for way too long  
  
Fever inside the storm,  
So I'm turning away,  
Away from the name  
(calling your names)  
Away from the stones  
(throw sticks and stones)  
'Cause I'm through mending the wounds of us  
  
Keep your thorns  
'Cause I'm running away,  
Away from the games  
(fucking head games)  
Away from the space  
(hate this head space)  
The circumstances of a world so cold  
  
**_Burning whispers_**, remind me of the days,  
I was **_left alone_**, in a world this cold  
**_Guilty of the same things_**, **_provoked by the cause_**,  
I've left alone, in a world so cold

**_Fever inside the storm_**,  
So I'm **_turning away_**,  
Away from the name  
(calling your names)  
Away from the stones  
(throw sticks and stones)  
'Cause I'm through mending the wounds of us  
  
**_Keep your thorns_**,  
'Cause I'm **_running away_**,  
Away from **_the games_**  
(fucking head games)  
Away from the space  
(hate this head space)  
The circumstances of a world so cold  
  
I'm flying, I'm flying away,  
Away from the names  
(calling your names)  
Away from the games  
(fucking head games)  
The circumstances of a world so cold  
  
**_Why does everyone feel like my enemy_**,  
Don't want any part of **_depression or darkness_**, I've had enough,  
Sick and tired, **_bring the sun_**, or I'm gone, or I'm gone  
  
I'm backing out, I'm no pawn,  
No mother-fucking slave to this,  
Never lied  
Never left  
Never lived  
Never loved  
Never lost  
Never hurt  
Never worry about being me, or anyone else  
Not a care, no concern, don't give a shit about anything,  
  
Backing out, giving up, no mother-fucking slave to this,  
Never lied  
Never left  
Never lived  
Never loved  
Never lost  
Never hurt  
Never worry about being me, or anyone else  
Not a care, no concern, don't give a shit about anything,  
  
I need to find a darkened corner,  
A lightless corner,  
Where it's safer and calmer,  
  
I'm turning away,  
Away from the name  
(calling your names)  
Away from the stones  
(throw sticks and stones)  
'Cause I'm through mending the wounds of us  
  
I'm running away,  
Away from the games  
(fucking head games)  
Away from the space  
(hate this head space)  
The circumstances of a world so cold  
  
I'm flying, I'm flying away,  
Away from the names  
(calling your names)  
Away from the games  
(fucking head games)  
The circumstances of a world so cold 

Long song, ne? Hope you enjoyed, the chapter and the lyrics.

So now you know, the next chapter is **Bring The Sun**

As always, leave a little light and I'll see you next chapter.


	24. Bring the Sun

**Disclaimer:** Don't own any beautiful boys, fun animes, good songs, big house, expensive cars (Sadly, I could go on, and on,…and on )

**Warning:** hmm… as far as cursing, blood, etc, this one is a bit more tame than my usual chapters. Don't worry though, I still have a ways to go.

**Author's Note:** Gomenasai. I must apologize to all my faithful readers. I am not worthy of your attention. I must apologize for my long delay. Gomenasai!!!!! I am so low, I should not defile your minds with my poor writing. GOMENASAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I should apologize to anyone who might possibly be on a computer anywhere in the universe for potentially upsetting them for being so late. GOMENNNN KUDASAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_giggles _Gomen, Ri-chan's a bad influence, but you gotta love furuba. (I want the prince, I channel the suicidal transvestite, go figure)

_shakes chibi kai upside down and watches a couple reviewers fall out_ I know you wanted to stay, but I'd hate to lose any of you. Now, please enjoy!

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXIV: Bring the Sun**

The metallic ring of clashing blades filled the morning air as four sets of eyes looked on. They watched as the dark and light blades continued their fierce fight, charging at each other intent on finishing the battle. Three of those pairs were watching intently, as if their very existence was on the line, which in a way it was. The fourth pair watched with indifference. The sharp eyes observed silently from the shadows of the trees, the man's form relaxed against the rough wood. He didn't care which boy triumphed and which boy lost, he just wanted the battle to end. He was bored.

_I don't know why Voltaire insisted I come. "Watch, but don't interfere." Hn. My job has been reduced to cheerleader. _

Restlessly, the figure uncrossed and recrossed his arms, shifting his body to try to find a more comfortable position against the rough tree bark. Despite his slight movement, none of the boys in the clearing noticed his presence, they were too intent on the battling blades. The tall man yawned as the boys traded boasts. Slowly, his eyes drifted shut as he let his ears keep track of the battle for him.

_I wish Voltaire had been a little less specific about his instructions. "If anything goes wrong, your priority is Black Dranzer. Leave the boy where he falls." What a windbag. I don't give a shit about that damn phoenix, I want to see Kai suffer before he dies. Of course, since he made sure to give me specific instructions, I won't be able to talk my way out of trouble if I do things the way I want to._

Cold, pitiless, black eyes opened and returned their focus to the two blades. As he watched, a tornado of wind with the form of a blue dragon at its center formed around the light blade as it charged at the dark blade. The black phoenix cried out in defiant rage and charged against its foe, becoming an arrow of black flames.

_This is taking too long. The brat should just stop playing with them. The sooner he defeats them, the sooner we can return, and the sooner Voltaire will move on with his plan. Of course, if he loses…perhaps Voltaire will allow me to hunt him down and dispose of him._

_Hn__… go dragon…_

---------

Tearing through the underbrush, Rei tried to follow close at Kenny's heels. He knew that he didn't dare lose the younger boy. If he did, he would definitely arrive too late to help anyone. But the trees themselves seemed to be trying to stop him, long branches pulled at his hair as the underbrush tore at his clothes. For once, Kenny had an advantage over Rei, his smaller form seemed to slip through unhindered, and, tired as he was, he was slowly pulling farther away from Rei.

Rei let out a soft growl of frustration and continued to push after his friend. The dim light filtering through the thick canopy overhead making it even harder for him keep his friend in sight. In his rush to catch up with Kenny, Rei felt a sharp sting on his cheek as he carelessly pushed aside a branch and felt it rebound. His eyes stung with tears and he felt a warm, wetness as he brushed his hand against his stinging cheek. Deeming it unimportant, he quickly dismissed it and continued forward, paying no attention to the blood that was now smeared across his palm.

He was so intent on his struggle with the undergrowth that he didn't even see that Kenny had stopped until he bumped right into him. Surprised, he staggered back a step and was about to ask what was wrong when Kenny just shook his head and motioned at the gap in the trees ahead of them. The morning light came almost blindingly through it, preventing Rei from seeing what was beyond.

"They're through there," Kenny's voice shook slightly.

"It's okay, Kenny," Rei placed his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. It was only natural that the boy be afraid, he wasn't really a blader at heart and would be almost defenseless in a battle. "You stay here, I'll go ahead."

Kenny nodded mutely, a little ashamed that his fear was so evident. He watched as Rei walked ahead, only visible as a silhouette against the light. Within moments, Rei had disappeared through the opening, swallowed completely by the sun.

---------

Hideaki knelt quietly on the wood floor of the small dojo, staring up at where his brother's sword rested. He had searched for his brother throughout the house after the Chinese blader had run off, but had been unable to find him anywhere. Now he had a choice to make; ignore the possible trouble brewing at the border of his land or help the boys he had only recently met and maybe find himself hip deep in trouble.

_I just don't know what to do. It seems like I always make the wrong decision when it comes to that place. When I was younger, I thought I was invincible. Despite my family's warnings, I didn't see the danger. I thought I was so brave, so daring going to the border of our lands. That's where I met her. With the certainty of youth, I knew that I loved her from the moment I saw her. She was so elegant and graceful. I only needed to look into her eyes to find my happiness. I thought I loved her. And since she didn't refuse my advances, I thought she loved me, too. _

Ruby eyes closed as the raven head bowed low. His arms were hanging lax at his side, but his knuckles were white on his clenched fists; whether from grief, anger, or shame, not even Hideaki knew. Even after all this time had passed, he still didn't know how to feel about her.

_I was so worried at first, when she didn't show up at our usual meeting place. I waited all day and night. When morning came and she still hadn't come, I had moved beyond worry and into fear. I was scared she had been hurt somehow. Against all my family's cautions, I went to her home to search for her. But I was too late, she was long gone and had left behind a trap for me. That bastard, a demon with an angel's face, waited for me, taunted me with the game that had been played on me. He told me the truth, that she had never loved me and had only used me on her father's orders. I was so angry, I charged at him. I was so young and foolish, I thought I could force him to take it back. _

Looking up at the sheathed blade before him, he remembered vividly the outcome of that particularly stupid move. He felt the remembered pain of each blow that struck him, the struggle for air as the stranger's fingers slowly crushed his throat while he lay pinned to the floor. And he remembered the golden flames that forced the man off of him as his brother came to stand over him.

_I owe my brother so much. I decided then to take it upon myself to watch out for my nephew, it was the least that I could do. Besides, he was so cute, I probably would have done it anyways. _

_But despite my best intentions, I only failed again. I remember when he started sneaking off on his own. I worried at first, it was only natural, so I followed him. When I found him on the border of our lands, my fear grew. But I allowed myself to be deceived again. I watched as he met a younger child and they spent the day in play. It seemed so harmless. But I was determined to be his protector, so I continued to follow him. _

Hideaki smiled as he remembered his nephew. His hands relaxed from their fists and he took a deep breath, allowing himself to relax in the peace of those pleasant memories.

_It seemed so innocent, so ordinary. What child doesn't relish having a secret from his father? And I let him keep it. After all, how could I betray him? I let him continue to believe he had us all fooled, but still I continued to follow him. At first I followed him every time, to make sure he was safe. Later, I followed because I enjoyed watching them play. It was so much like when Isamu and I were kids. Those two had such fantastic imaginations. I used to struggle so hard not to be heard laughing. One day they were ancient samurai in a duel for honor and the next they were power rangers fighting off an evil space monster. Most of those days were full of wild adventures or spectacular bey battles, but sometimes they would just disappear into the branches of their favorite tree not to be seen until sunset._

_As the years passed, I allowed myself to relax. Subconsciously, I guess I had talked myself into believing that the child wasn't really connected to that place. I had seen a young woman bring snacks for both of them and call him to dinner. I thought that maybe he was the child of a servant at the home. I talked myself into believing he was an innocent. After all, Ran treated him like a younger brother and I trusted Ran's judgment. I went from following every time, to following most of the time, to following occasionally. I didn't even notice how lax I was getting. Not until the day Ran didn't come home. _

Rising to his feet, Hideaki took hold of the sheathed blade. Pulling the blade from its resting place, he watched the light dance across the naked blade. It was a beautifully balanced sword, almost perfect. But there was one bare spot, where the phoenix spirit had once resided.

_I almost thought Isamu would kill me when I told him about Ran's secret meetings. In a way, I guess I wanted him to. I felt that I had failed him and Ran so miserably. But he didn't, he even forgave me. Even after we searched everywhere for Ran and didn't find him. But even if he forgives me, I still can't forgive myself._

Hideaki stood abruptly, sheathing the blade quickly. There really wasn't a decision to be made after all, he had only been hesitating in what he knew must be done.

_Even if it's the wrong decision, I have to go. I have to find out what happened. Besides… I won't let another child just disappear, or another father worry. There has to be an end to this misery._

Sliding the sword into his belt, the crimson-eyed man ran swiftly into the woods. He knew exactly where to go. He had watched as Rei had followed his friend into the forest, heading for the border between the two lands. It had been the same direction as the small clearing that Ran had met his 'secret' friend at. There was nowhere else they could be.

-----------

After the dim light of the sheltered woods, the bright, clear light of the sunlit meadow was blinding. Rei blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to get rid of the dazzle effect the sudden change had caused. Too quickly, he found himself confronted by a sight he didn't want to see. An explosion of light and wind greeted him before parting to show him the blue dragon pinned in the embrace of the black phoenix. The dragon was still screaming, whether in rage or pain Rei couldn't tell, as it was dragged into the dark blade spinning below. Rei searched the clearing and saw Takao standing frozen in shock, his hand on the shoulder of the kneeling blond beside him. Beyond them, on the opposite side of the clearing, was a figure that seemed hidden in shadows even in the bright sunlight.

_Black Dranzer.__ Why didn't Kenny tell me he had Black Dranzer? This is bad._

Rei ran to Takao's side where he got his first good look at his long sought-after friend. His eyes were drawn from the cruel, black blade to travel slowly up his friend's form. He noted the midnight black clothes, so tight that they seemed more like ink splashed across the boy's body than clothes of any sort. A flash of metal just below Kai's dark scarf caught Rei's attention and held it. He spent a second squinting at that elusive silver before dismissing it and looking up into the face of his friend.

The Chinese blader could not see Kai's face fully because the other blader was turned away from him watching the final struggles of Dragoon, but he saw enough to be shocked at how Kai looked. Kai resembled nothing more, than a statue born of ice and shadows. The blue markings on his face seemed to stand out more than Rei remembered, almost like they had somehow grown and taken possession of more of his friend's face. Whether it was because of the hollows in Kai's cheeks or the paleness of his face, the effect was very disturbing. But worse than that, was the look of anticipation as he watched the dragon being drawn down into the black blade. Rei felt overwhelmed, all his emotions seemed to be fighting to the surface. The only thing he knew for sure was that Kai couldn't do this.

"Stop!"

Ice blue eyes, like the frozen surface of a lake, turned to stare at him and Rei was taken aback at the complete lack of emotion in them. He had expected anger, or triumph, not the emptiness before him. He felt a shiver crawl down his spine as those eyes continued to stare at him without recognition.

Rei stared into those empty eyes, straining to catch some sign of the friend he and the others had been trying so hard to find. And for the barest fraction of a second, the icy, blue eyes seemed to change. Their cold, mirrored surface seemed to deepen, almost as if the ice was beginning to melt. Beneath the ice blue, whirled a deeper sapphire blue, and deeper still hid a rich, emerald green. In that moment, Rei felt hope, for even though it wasn't the fiery crimson he was used to, it was much better than the shell of ice he had just witnessed. But before he could even register the change, it was gone. The ice had returned as if it had never left and Rei was left wondering if he had even seen it at all.

Their battle of concentration was broken, not by a sudden noise, but rather by the abrupt lack of it. Breaking eye contact, Rei glanced back at where the bit beasts had been struggling. There was no sign of Dragoon, the only blade still spinning was Black Dranzer. He watched as Kai called the dark blade back to his hand and stared down at it with dead, blue eyes.

"Nothing." Kai's voice was low and empty. "No… no, it's just not enough."

Rei started to take a step towards his friend, but was stopped by two hands grabbing his arms just above the elbow.

"Wait, Rei," Max was behind him on his right, holding his arm in one hand, his other hand clenched around the bit from his shattered blade. "You have to be careful."

"He's right, man," Takao was at his left. "Kai's gone over to the dark side."

"No, I don't believe that," shaking his head, Rei shrugged off both his friends' hands as well as their concerns.

_I don't know how, but there's no way that that is Kai. Takao may have always said that Kai was emotionless, but he was wrong. I didn't really understand either, not until I really talked to him in __Russia__. But Kai's actually the complete opposite. There's a sort of tenseness to him, as if he is always holding something back. Even when he's relaxed, his eyes seem to burn with a muted intensity. And despite his best efforts at sounding calm and in control, his voice almost hums with the emotions he's suppressing. Maybe no one else really noticed it, bu,t looking back, I can see it so clearly. And right now, there's nothing; absolutely nothing in his eyes or his voice._

"This isn't you, Kai." Rei took hold on the two blades he had in his pockets and slowly took another step forward. He wanted desperately to call forth that glimmer he had seen earlier. "You wouldn't do this to us. I believe in you, you would never hurt your friends."

"You might be right."

The black-clad blader turned away from Rei and moved to sit on the large tree stump. His pose was relaxed as he toyed with the dark blade in his hand. The blade seesawed on his palm reflecting and deflecting the sunlight. Taking advantage of Kai's brooding, Rei moved to stand directly in front of him. As he stepped in front of Kai, he watched as his own shadow seemed to eclipse the light that was shining down on his friend. Unconsciously, he stepped slightly to the side to allow the sun to reclaim Kai. It was a hopeful, if vain, attempt to melt the ice that imprisoned his friend. The slate haired blader was drawn to the slight movement and turned his focus away from his blade and up to the blader before him.

"But since I have no friends," he continued calmly, neither his voice nor face altering, "that is a moot point."

Rei studied his friend's uplifted face closely, looking for any sign of emotion. While he didn't see any change in expression, he was close enough now to see some faint signs of damage. A lightly mottled blue and purple bruise seemed to be almost hiding among the blue markings on the left side of Kai's face. He let out a soft hiss as he also noticed a splash of color that did not fit among the ice and shadows. A darker red area on Kai's left lower lip stood out against the paleness of his face. It could only be significant of a healing split lip.

"What did they do to you?" The question was so soft, neither of the two boys behind him heard it. There was no answer from the isolated boy in front of him.

"I wonder if you'll do." Kai was fitting his blade onto his launcher, his eyes never leaving Rei's face. "The two behind you were quite a disappointment, but perhaps you have what I need."

Kai stood abruptly and stepped backwards, up onto the smooth, flat surface of the tree stump. He stared down at Rei, and slowly paced backwards. He never looked backwards, his eyes continued to challenge Rei as he moved confidently to the opposite side. With a small gasp, Rei started to take a step forward as Kai reached the other edge. Silly as it was, he couldn't help himself. It was instinct for him, the desire to warn a friend when they might fall. With an empty laugh, Kai stopped, one foot hovering off the stump.

"You're so easy to read," carelessly Kai jumped off, landing easily on his feet with his launcher held before him. "Are you ready?"

"Don't, Rei. He already has Draciel and Dragoon, you can't let him get Driger, too."

"Max is right," Takao quickly jumped in to support his friend's plea. "I don't know what kind of warped scheme Voltaire's hatching, but you can't play into his hands."

"It's alright, guys, I don't intend to fight him."

"You truly don't understand, do you?" Kai lowered his blade from its ready position and looked over at the three friends. "Are you really that simple? There is no choice here. You will fight and you will lose, just as your so-called friends did."

"Why are you doing this?" Rei kept his hands in his pocket, his fists closed tightly around the two blades he held. "What does Voltaire want with our bit beasts?"

"That man understands something that you don't seem to. He understands the true strength of the spirits. It's sad that you have been partners with your spirits for years, but you don't truly understand their power. Your lack of knowledge weakens them."

"Just what the hell does that mean," Takao leapt towards Kai, but thankfully, for his sake, Max already had a hold of him. "Are you saying that Dragoon is weak?"

"No, Dragoon is strong, it is you, little dragon, who is weak. You have all seen the strength of the bit beasts, but you continue to deny it. These spirits can affect the world around them; they can destroy buildings and, as the little tiger can attest, they can hurt or even kill people. That man understands this and has trained his pupils to use this knowledge. You experienced that power at the championship. The spirits can literally be used to destroy the world."

"So you want to destroy the world?" Rei was stunned at how calm Kai was with his explanation.

"No," Kai's shoulders moved in a small, indifferent shrug. "I care nothing for the world. For the moment our path is the same, that's all."

"So, are you ready?" Kai raised his launcher. "If you don't battle me now, you will never again have the opportunity to regain your friends' bit beasts."

Rei struggled with himself, he didn't want to fight Kai, but couldn't think of any other way to reach his friend. Besides, he couldn't abandon Takao and Max's bit beasts to Voltaire's crazy plan to rule the world. He felt a wordless pulse of strength and encouragement from the blade he held in his right pocket and sent back his own silent reply.

_I know you want to fight, Driger. And I believe you could beat Black Dranzer. But…there's more at stake than winning this battle. I hope you can understand._

Releasing his blade, he pulled his launcher out with his right hand while retrieving the blue blade from his left pocket. Keeping his eyes on Kai, he fit Dranzer to his launcher and prepared to release it. He was gratified to see Kai's eyes widen slightly as he recognized the blade that was about to challenge him. He held Dranzer at the ready and sent another silent plea out. This one to the phoenix he held ready to battle his friend with.

_Hey, Dranzer, I hope you can hear me. I don't know what else to do. I don't know of anything else that might be able to reach him. I know you won't fight for me, but maybe if you could just bend the rules a bit, Kai's right over there after all. If there ever was a time when he needed you more, I sure don't know about it. Just think of it as me returning you to him. I'll just let you go…you can just go to him…How does that sound?_

There was no answer, but Rei hadn't expected one. He wished, not for the first time that morning, that he could have one last opportunity to talk to Dranzer via Dizzi. He knew that if this failed, he might lose both Kai and Dranzer. And then he would have no other way to reach his friend. He sent a last wordless plea to whatever god or gods might be watching and launched the blue blade onto the smooth surface before him.

"I'm sorry, Kai. This is the only thing I can do. We need you."

---------------

Hideaki slipped easily through the woods, his hand on his sword hilt, keeping the blade tight against his body. Even though he was late in following after the bladers, he had a distinct advantage over them; this was his property and he knew all the small trails that crisscrossed it. In almost no time, he had reached the small clearing. Caution slowed his steps as he approached the edge of the trees and he paused there for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the change in lighting.

Not far from his position, he saw the small brunette boy that had led Rei into the woods. The boy was in the clearing, but just barely. His body was tense, almost as if he wasn't quite sure if he should be moving forward or backwards. Past him, Hideaki saw Rei, flanked by his two team mates, confronting a boy he had not yet met. The boy was standing with his legs slightly apart in a fighting stance, intent only on the battle that was about to start.

Hideaki wasn't given much of a chance to study the strange boy that was challenging Rei. As he watched, the two boys launched their blades at each other and began their battle. Flames erupted around each blade as it landed and fierce cries heralded the two spirits that rose up out of the flames.

_No. That's not possible. There can't be two. There just can't be. There is only one phoenix!_

But despite the truth in his heart, Hideaki could not deny the evidence of his eyes. Stunned, he could only stare at the impossibility before him. Scarlet flames poured out of the blade Rei had launched on the right side of the impromptu battlefield and a brilliant, crimson and golden phoenix soared up out of them with a proud cry. After sounding its challenge, the bit beast hovered silently over its blue blade; it had the stillness of a predator observing its prey right before it moves in for the kill.

The crimson phoenix's actions were mirrored by its opponent. Out of the black flames came a piercing, hollow scream, followed by a phoenix that seemed a dark reflection of the spirit in front of it. For while the first spirit seemed to glow from the warm red flames of its birth, this phoenix seemed to be a murkier, red, so dark it could only be called black. It was the exact color of dried blood. This spirit held none of the stillness or peace of its opponent. As soon as the black phoenix was released, it dove towards its enemy.

_Two.__ There are two. But, does that mean I was wrong? If there is more than just one, then that boy Kai may not know anything. Is it possible that it was all just a coincidence? That I was just chasing an illusion, a lie? It can't be!_

Hideaki was drawn to the battle before him. He had seen many bey battles before, but never one like this. In most battles, there was always a lot of noise. Boys shouting encouragement at their partners, friends cheering them on, and even the normal trash talk between opponents. But this battle was different, the only sounds heard were from the bit beasts. Only their fierce cries as they hit and were hit. Neither boy called out to the blades they launched, nor did they speak to each other. They only watched the battle and waited for its victor.

The two spirits above them certainly didn't seem to be lacking in any strength because of the silence of their partners. Each fought viciously. Sharp, wicked talons shone in the bright sunlight as they tore at each other. And with each scoring that one of them received, a line of flames appeared on their bodies. Each hit released flames and feathers rather than blood.

The terrible struggle was etched out below them by the dueling blades. Wreathed by fire, each of the two blades left a scorched trail behind themselves as they participated in their own deadly dance. Intricate patterns appeared on the wood as their battle was recorded on its surface.

Walking through the soft rain of crimson and black feathers, Hideaki drew closer to the battlefield. As he reached to edge of the tree stump, the two blades clash again before drawing back towards their partners. The blue blade was on his right with the crimson phoenix high above while the black blade was at his left, the dark shadow of the phoenix crouched above it as if preparing to spring. Ruby lines of flame decorated the higher spirit's form, but it showed no sign of weakness or pain. It only stared down with a look of pure fury at its shadow.

There was a soft sound, like the collective intake of breath, and then Hideaki heard Rei's quiet voice.

"Dranzer."

It was like a signal. Immediately, the crimson phoenix plummeted downwards. The dark phoenix held its position, stretching out its wings in anticipation of the impending collision. It was ready to finish off its opponent. But the explosion of feathers didn't come, instead there was a burst of light. The crimson phoenix was engulfed by the ruby flames reaching up to it from its own blade. The black phoenix didn't have time to react, it could only watch as the blue blade ducked past it.

All eyes were on the blade as it called its crimson flames back within itself and sped towards the edge of the battlefield, leaving its opponent spinning alone at the center of the tree. For one wild moment, Hideaki thought the blade was fleeing from the battle. That thought was quickly discarded as the blade flew off the tree stump and landed on the ground almost between the strange boy's feet.

As quickly as its flames had disappeared, they surged back to life. Crimson flames spun out from the blade to snake up around the boy's form. Hideaki only got a brief look at the boy's pale face before the flames had completely engulfed him. And a new sound filled the clearing, a scream filled with pain.

"NO!"

-------------tbc

_rubs hands together gleefully_

Why do I always want to cackle evilly after I finish a chapter?...Oh yeah. It's because I am the …**dum dum DUMMMMM**… Evil Authoress!! _MWAhahahahaha_

_ahem_

Back to business. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I am truly sorry for the long delay. Gomenasai!!!!!! (back Ri-chan, Back!) I hope you are still with me and that you continue to enjoy my story. I know this looks like the end, like maybe I can finish this of in a chapter or two, but it's not. No matter the outcome of this fight (do you think I'd really just tell you that?), I've got a bit more to wrap up. Stick around.

**Special Thanks to:** (yea!! So many pretty reviewers)

**Artemis347:** _hands out tissues_ There, there, it'll get better (eventually)

**Soul Clara:** I'm so glad I didn't lose you last chapter. It was difficult to write it with enough mental confusion for Kai and still have it understandable for the reader. Glad it worked for you. Oh, yeah, the song is by Mudvayne laughs and you didn't read far enough in the lyrics, scroll down for the name of the next chapter ;P

**Kai baby-girl:** I'm glad you like the flashbacks, they are important to my story and Kai's character. And I think we see clichés so much, because there are certain stories we love so much, we just keep doing them, again and again. I hope mine is unusual enough to make up for some of the standard clichés within.

**Droopy1389:** You're not slow, it was meant to be a bit confusing. I think the rest should be more straight-forward. Sorry I haven't been online recently, my hours are a bit off. I feel like a vampire, I'm still trying to get used to it. Ja ne!

**Jouka**** no Kou:** Glad you enjoyed. I really enjoyed writing it. The next chapter will be a bit like it, caught in the past, but not with the confusion the other seemed to generate. Good catch on the black dranzer effect. I did not forget it, you are just ahead of the game. The first time Kai used BD, neither was prepared and BD didn't understand the damage it could inflict. Now it knows and is trying to be more moderate in how it drains Kai. If it kills him, how can it continue? (good enough answer/hint?)

**The Fire-breathing-ferret: **Well, he's in the light, or rather bonfire, as per your request. That is what you requested, ne? _giggles_

**Fey Phantom:** You are so sweet!!!! Thanks for the praise, my head is so inflated. I'm actually intimidated, I'm worried each upcoming chapter will be a let down. Hope your water polo tournament went well. I must say, you have really brightened my days. Thanks for reviewing my other story, did you know you where my first review? It was a great way to start a new story Thanks also for the email. I loved the pics. It's so neat to see the images in my head on paper. I'm really happy that they are so clear for others, too. I had to get this posted (that email was a bit of a reminder/kick in the butt for me, which sadly, it appears I needed ), I hope you get this chapter before you have to leave (today, ne?) Otherwise, I'll look forward to your review whenever you get back. Have fun!!

**Ellen:** _giggles_ Did you get the bruise from falling off the bouncy ball, or from your mother putting her foot down. Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Kai definitely has some psychological problems, but it's good thing he has friends to help him out. And yep, it's all about the phoenix. It's strange what inspires me sometimes. Catch ya next chapter!!

**HimekoSukie****:** It is sad, all Kai's been through (though I guess I can't talk since I did it to him. But it's true, 'that which does not kill us, makes us stronger' You have to admit, Kai's one hell of a strong guy. I am just assuming he had to suffer an equivocal amount to get there. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was a bit lighter on the angst.

**Gillian Sillis:** I'm so glad you see the pain inside of BD as well. I really pity him, so strong and yet so weak.(sorta like Kai in that regard). I hope you liked the interaction between Kai and Rei. Please keep in mind, it's not actually Kai, so I had to keep it a bit distant, or abrupt. I'll let them talk later, I promise. Sorry you had to beg, GOMENASAI!!!!! I got off my butt, I felt so bad. Gomenasai!

**LaDiNi****:** _laughs_ Everyone thinks they got it, but no one read further in the lyrics (I'm teasing ) It is always easier to hide, to hate, to give in, than it is to face pain and move through it. I agree with you. Kai is definitely too strong to just run away. I didn't answer it this chapter, but I will next chapter, I promise! Thanks for visiting my other story. I know it's a bit disturbing, but hopefully it will turn out well.

**Umi****:** _baits the hook and tosses it out again_ Reeled in another one. Glad you found me, I truly never thought I'd ever write something this long. My other stuff is much shorter. I'm glad it caught your attention, and kept it (which is more important) Please stick around, I hope you enjoy the rest as much!

**Firen103:** I definitely LOVE torturing Kai! You could tell? _laughs_

**Tai-writer:** _laughs_ It's so good to catch new readers. You get to enjoy so much story without hanging from all the cliffies that decorate my story. But don't feel left out. I'll just start torturing you with them now Stay with me, the light isn't too far away.

**Ashla****:** I hope you had fun at camp. It was probably both a blast, and extremely frustrating. I thought that was what it meant, but I wanted to make sure. I wouldn't want to assume anything. You've heard the saying, ne? 'When you ASSUME, you make an ASS out of U and ME' _laughs _You can see why I don't like to make assumptions I wish I was a bit more linguistically adept. I've studied a lot of languages, but never had the opportunity to use them. I wish I had tried Irish, I'm part Irish, but never had the opportunity. Oh, well. Ja ne!!

**Icybladeanonymous1250:** oo Oh, my OO I just can't I'm speechless!!!! I'm SO HAPPY!!!!! I wish I could respond to everything, but then the reviewer response would be longer than my story TWO PAGES WOW! laughs But I must say…You have done well, Grasshopper. ) Kakashi-sensei would be proud. You have not only picked up on most of what I laid out, but you are beginning to see 'underneath the underneath' You not only got the family ties, but you reasoned out the why of them, 'his birthright' God, I'm so HAPPY!! You did just what I wanted. You read it and enjoyed the mystery, but when you read it again, everything was just screaming at you. That's what I'm aiming for! As for the phoenix issue, you are so close to the why's and where now's. I'll give you a hint, I pick character names for a reason. I was very particular with finding a name for Kai's childhood friend and his phoenix for a reason. Can you figure it out? Maybe you'll get it after next chapter. ;P I'm glad you like the writing style I'm presenting. I did it on purpose. I started very straight-forward, because I didn't want to cause utter confusion at the start. That can be just as bad as horrid spelling and grammatical mistakes. But as my readers get further into the story, I get to play with them more. They will let themselves be drawn into the confusion and trust me to bring them back out again (at least I hope they trust me). I really love the tattoos of ice flames on Kai. It is so symbolic of him. He is continually forced by his grandfather to be hard and cold, like ice. And he fights against that with everything he has. But in the end, his struggle only turns him into what he fought so hard against, A strong, hard boy, encased in a protective shell of ice. I also like the idea that the marks on his face are only a tiny sign of the pain and hardship he endured. Enough to mark him, but not enough to give others any understanding of him. I can't really answer a lot of your questions, but you should see the answers soon. As soon as next chapter for some. I forgot your email address (did I have it?) Send it to me, or email me, and I'll give you a better response to you're lovely, extremely well-thought out review.

**SquirrelOfShadows****:** _laughs_ yeah,yeah, tease the slow author. Then taunt me with jabs at my bishie Sasuke!! Have you no shame, _whispers_ you certainly have no taste _gripe,gripe_ naruto? for crying out loud. _laughs_ couldn't help myself. Naruto is definitely rocking these days, but I'm a bit upset at the lack of screen time Sasuke gets. His own murdering bother shows up and we don't really get to see the big drawn out strife between them. It's so unfair!!

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: **_laughs _Yes, but insanity can be fun! I'm dying to see G rev!! I've seen some awesome screen caps and Kai is just so awesome!! Oh, and thanks for visiting my new story. And I didn't just stop it right there, it hasn't even started, that's just the prologue

**The Original TyKa Forever: **Sorry to hear about your account. What happened? Well, Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Catch ya next one!!

_whew_

Glad everyone is enjoying the story. Hope you come back for the next chapter. So many of you guys thought Kai would be saved in this one, ne? 'bring the sun' _MWAHAHAhaha_ You should have read further.

The next chapter will be **Gone**

Now you have to ask yourself, PUNK, do you feel lucky? Or maybe it's 'do you really think I could kill Kai?' _giggles_ Come back and find out. Oh, don't forget, leave a little light. the actual lyric is **Bring the sun, or I'm gone**. I'm so devious, I even hide my blackmail


	25. Gone

**Disclaimer: **I think that after the first 24 times, you probably already know this. But just in case…I don't own BeyBlade, any of the bishonen, this awesome song, or the cool band Mudvayne that created the awesome song

**Warning: **A bit of violence (just a little), some blood, and I hope everyone is prepared….better grab some hankies just in case

**Author's Note: **Oops, another long delay. I've locked Ri-chan in a closet, so you won't get any apologies today ;P We are actually getting pretty close to the end, just a few more chapters. It was actually easier to write the earlier ones, it's harder to wrap things up well than it is to make the waters murky. I hope everything starts clearing up from here on out. And I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Quick Japanese lesson:

Nigete (from 'nigeru') – means 'run away', 'escape', 'save yourself'

I'm not defining the other Japanese bit on purpose, you'll have to wait till the next chapter

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXV: Gone**

Rei had watched the battle between the two firebirds in silence. His amber eyes almost glowing as he strained to send his strength through a bond that didn't exist. He could feel his friends' hands on his shoulders, tense with their own efforts. As if through sheer force of will, the three of them could feed their energy into the crimson phoenix before them.

_You can do it, Dranzer. I know you can reach him._

For a while the fight had seemed to be a stalemate, but then everything had changed in an instant. When the bright flames had engulfed Kai, the three friends had been frozen in shock. They hadn't known if it was good or bad, if he was being saved or needed to be saved.

Now the once silent meadow was echoing with the anguished scream coming from beyond the wall of flames. The raw pain in Kai's voice drove them to action. Rei leapt up onto the tree stump, determined to reach his friend as quickly as he could, while Takao and Max began to race around it. None of the boys reached their intended target. A burst of black fire sprang up from the dark blade still spinning on the battlefield, tossing Rei backwards off the tree to land roughly on the ground. Takao and Max made it half way around the battlefield only to find Hideaki blocking their path.

"Get out of the way!" Max hollered at the young man before him.

"Move it or lose it," Takao tried to shove past the taller man, only to find himself flung back.

"Don't get any closer."

Rei pushed himself unsteadily to his feet and staggered to where his friends were glaring daggers at Hideaki. He had seen the exchange between them and was determined to get either an explanation or a clear path to his friend.

"Houo-san," Rei stood face to face with Hideaki, staring at him unflinchingly, "I told you, he _is_ our friend and we _will _help him. Let us by."

"I'm sorry, Rei," Hideaki answered, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous. You won't be able to reach him."

"We have to! He's in pain!"

"We have to put the fire out!" Max helped his bluenette friend to his feet, supporting his words as well as his body.

"Look!" Hideaki pointed to where the flames rose high into the sky obscuring the form within. "I know you want to help him, but you can't. That fire is spiritual, that means you can't put it out. Only the phoenix can call back those flames."

Rei looked more closely at the large bonfire that stood where his friend had. Hideaki was right. Though the flames seemed to dance on the grass, not a single blade withered under what appeared to be an inferno above. The cries from within had gotten weaker, but they continued to tear at the hearts of those listening.

"If it's not physical, than it won't hurt us, right?" Rei stepped past Hideaki only to find a firm hand restraining him.

"No, I think if you get too close, it will kill you. Those flames will kill anyone that is unworthy of the phoenix."

Rei turned questioning eyes on the man holding him, but Hideaki was not looking at him. He seemed to be staring into the flames without really seeing them.

"It is the Hisaki no Unmei."

* * *

The cold comfort of his memories had disappeared, replaced by a wall of fire that surrounded him on all sides. Kai could only stare in shock at the flames that danced around him. The gold-tipped, crimson flames encircled him, but couldn't seem to reach him. It was as if a clear barrier of ice was keeping them from him. Kai sank slowly to the ground, curling into a tight ball. He didn't know anymore whether it was better to freeze or to burn. 

Determined to break through, the fire continued to eat away at the barrier before it. Each surge of flames seemed to push back the barrier, bringing the heat closer and closer to where Kai was huddled. As the flames drew nearer, he thought he heard a voice calling out to him. It was deep and rich, like a glorious song made of complex chords, a warm voice calling his name, calling his soul. Finally, the fire's persistence started to pay off. A small tendril of flame pushed past the barrier to gently caress his cheek.

_--"Kai? Kai, please answer me."--_

Kai's head jerked up at the soft plea. This voice was different. It was as if the intricate chording had been drawn into one completely pure note. Another area weakened in the barrier and a longer tendril curled comfortingly around his shoulders.

_--"I'm here, Kai. I'll always be here for you. Please, you have to come back. You can't give in, you can't give up."--_

Blind, ice-blue eyes stared at the flames that were beckoning enticingly at him from beyond the barrier. A reflection of the flames began to dance slowly in his eyes, a warm red glow battling the cold blue.

_--"What did they do to you? Why won't you answer me? You said you would fight the darkness, so fight it! If you don't fight it now, you'll lose everything; your friends, yourself…me…"-- _

As Kai slowly uncurled from his position, a branch of flames pushed through the barrier to trail lightly down his chest. It pushed insistently over the spot where his heart should be, but where Kai felt only a solid ice crystal. Kai felt the intense voice vibrate through him. It was full of sorrow, pain, love, and anger. Full of all the emotions that he had spent so much of his life denying. Each emotion spilled into the next, yet somehow they weren't discordant. Anger built on the sorrow of a loved one's pain. Grief at helplessness. Love that was unconditional. Need to touch and comfort.

_--"We need you, Kai. Everyone is suffering without you. I know it hurts, but you have to endure. While you hide here, the dark one is destroying everything you hold dear." --_

The flames beyond the barrier swirled and danced, seeming to take on the familiar shape of a boy kneeling before him. A small hand of flames pressed its palm against the barrier trying to reach the boy within. The barrier refused to let the hand through, but it couldn't completely stop the flames and a small crack split the surface under the fiery palm. A thin vine of flames formed from the palm and pushed its way through the crack. Gently, the flames twined around Kai's smallest finger and crept up to curl against his palm.

_--"Do you truly want to forget everything that happened? If you forget, then it will all be for nothing. All the pain, suffering and sacrifice, all for nothing! Could you really betray me and everyone else for the false peace of a memory? Do you hate me so much? Do you really want me to disappear?" --_

Reluctantly, the flames drew back. The soft tendrils trailing heat as they pulled away and flowed back towards the silhouette of flames on the other side of the ice barrier. As the heat left his skin, the voice became softer, weighted down with sorrow.

_--"I said that I'd be there, no matter what…Anything you needed, I would have done for you…but if this is what you want…what you need…"-- _

A long time ago Kai had decided that he was nothing, that his own pain was insignificant when compared to another's. Perhaps it wasn't true in the eyes of others, but it was a fact and a way of life for him. He could feel the pain of the one who had been calling out to him. No, it was more than pain, it was agony, it was death, and it echoed through his soul. It was more pain than anyone deserved, definitely more pain than he was willing to let another suffer because of him. He knew then that it was better to burn in agony then let this fiery boy suffer while he was cocooned in ice.

Kai's soul flamed brightly and the ice in his eyes melted, tracing cold, quicksilver paths down his cheeks. Reaching desperately for the flames that were reluctantly pulling away, he cried out to the caring voice, trying to call it back. His own voice rang out, full of pain and sorrow at the thought of the other's suffering.

"NO!"

Like crystal hit with a perfect note, the ice barrier around him shattered, exploding away in glittering shards. It was all that was needed to call the fire back and it returned eagerly, cascading down on him in a shower of crimson flames.

----Flashback---

A lone, black car followed the winding two lane road, passing in and out of the patchwork of light and shadows cast by the trees beside it. Small, delicate flowers of red and blue dotted the green carpet running alongside the black asphalt. The brilliant colors of the trees and flowers were blurred together as the car sped past them, their beauty completely lost to those inside.

Wedged in the back seat between his blonde guardian and another of his grandfather's many peons, a slender boy sat in what looked like serious contemplation of his shoe laces. His downcast eyes were hidden by his dark, blue hair and, despite his seeming lack of interest in what was going on around him, the boy was completely aware of his surroundings. His grandfather was a heavy presence in the front seat, silent and focused on his own sinister plans. The driver was a blank presence, he knew enough not to make idle conversation with his employer and focused only on the road ahead of him. Gavriil sat on his left, calm as always and apparently ignoring him. And on his right, Kai could feel eyes staring down at him. The nameless man had probably been given orders not to let him out of his sight and, like the unthinking automatons that his grandfather loved to hire, he was doing exactly as he had been ordered.

Kai didn't bother to interrupt the silence around him, he had his own plans to make. It had been five days since his fever had broken, eight days since Nadya's death and his grandfather's punishment. His first coherent memory was of his mother talking with Gavriil in his room. She hadn't stayed long, of which Kai was glad. When the blonde man had seen Kai's clear eyes looking up at him, he had immediately left to inform Kai's grandfather. Or at least that was Kai's assumption, because it wasn't long after that Voltaire had come to his room and dismissed his mother. Kai hadn't seen her again since then.

His grandfather had prattled on for what felt like hours, alternating between lecturing, ordering, and threatening him. Kai didn't remember much of the conversation, but Gavril had been kind enough to boil it down for him before they left Russia. As he had so succinctly put it, Kai had several choices before him. Firstly, he could refuse to battle his friend, which would result in his friend's demise. Secondly, he could pretend to fight, but allow his friend to win. The second option was worse than the first because Gavriil had just smiled coolly at him and informed him that he had been given orders to destroy Ran and his entire family if Kai was foolish enough to throw the beybattle.

_Gavriil__ may be a sick prick, but at least he keeps things simple. He hates me, he hits me. Grandfather seems to delight in wringing as much pain and emotional torment out of everyone he comes in contact with as he can. I don't understand why he's doing this. If he wants to kill me, he should just do it. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt because of me. He already took Nadya from me, I can't lose Ran, too!_

They reached the chateau before Kai could find a solution to his predicament. As the four adults climbed out of the car, he remained sullenly in his seat. It was useless to try and resist them, but somehow these little acts of defiance were the only things keeping him sane.

Without a word or any effort, Gavriil reached into the car and dragged the boy out. Kai, still weak from his wound and his recent recovery, wasn't able to put up much of a fight. But once the boy was out of the car, Gavriil completely ignored him again. Instead he headed toward the house, leaving the boy under the watchful eyes of his designated captor.

"Come on, boy," the dark haired man said, getting anxious when Kai made no move towards the house. "Move, damn it."

The lack of acknowledgement on Kai's part frustrated the man to no end. He did not want his employer to see that he had so little control over the boy. The man roughly kicked Kai towards the house, knocking him off his feet to sprawl gracelessly on the ground.

"And just what do you think you are doing, Mikki?"

The cold voice froze the man before he could follow the kick with any more violence. Kai lay unmoving on the ground, picturing his grandfather staring coldly down on the man who had struck him. Mikki's face drained of color as he tried to salvage what he had obviously done wrong.

"The boy refused to listen to me. He wouldn't go into the house."

"Idiot, for now, I need him undamaged," Voltaire gave him a brief look of disgust. "He must be able to battle in the morning. If you are incapable of handling him, then I don't need your services."

"Gavriil!"

The handsome blonde appeared immediately at Voltaire's call. Stalking over to where Kai lay, he glared down at the slender boy.

"You can walk or I can carry you," he snarled pleasantly. "But you are going inside."

Pushing himself up, Kai dusted off his clothes and walked calmly into the house. He had known that there were no options, that one way or another he would be forced to enter. In the end his defiance would mean nothing, but, for now, he would only focus on the moments leading up to his final battle. It had been a small victory over the least important of his enemies, but it was still a victory.

Once inside, his deceptively casual walk turned into a sprint. He raced upstairs and into the first room at the top of the stairs. Slamming the door shut behind him, he quickly locked it and then struggled to push a heavy chair against the door. Panting, he listened for signs of Gavriil or Mikki cursing and trying to break in to get him. Strangely, everything was quiet.

Then, distantly, he heard slow, heavy steps climbing the stairs. He felt his heartbeat quicken and his eyes grew wide as he heard, felt, each step vibrate through him. Finally, the footsteps stopped outside the door.

"Good night, Kai," Gavriil's falsely sweet voice carried through the closed door. "I _will_ see you in the morning. Sweet dreams."

As he listened to Gavriil's footstep's fade away, he knew that he had no choice. Tomorrow he would challenge his best and only friend, but tonight, mercifully, was all his own. Turning away from the door, Kai wandered through the room letting himself remember all the times he had spent there. This was the first time he had been to this place he called home without Nadya. Now, without her there, he didn't know what to call it.

Even though it had been almost a year since he and Nadya had been to the chateau, he could still feel her presence. It didn't make sense. Kai knew, intellectually, that the rooms had all been cleaned and that Nadya would never return, but it felt like she was still there. It was as if, at any moment, she would walk into her room and smile sweetly at him. He looked around the room, his eyes clouded with his memories.

The vanity where he used to watch Nadya brush her long, ebony hair. The large window seat where he would rest with her while she played her guitar. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw her guitar resting against the cushions. Kai had insisted that his grandfather bring it with them and had been surprised when it had been done without argument. On the other side of the room was the big, comfy chair where, when his was little, she would allow him to climb into her lap so she could read him stories. At other times, that same chair would be pushed up next to her bed where she would sit and watch over him when he was hurt or ill.

Collapsing on the bed, Kai curled into a tight ball around one of the pillows. It hurt to be there and know she wasn't. He wanted to look up and see her smiling at him from her chair. He longed for the fevered delusions that let him continue to deny her death for just a little longer.

_…cherry blossoms…the blankets still carry her scent. Is it possible for her presence to linger here? Is she still here in the things she touched? If that's true, maybe she's still in me somewhere._

Wrapping his arms tightly around his body, Kai tried to sense her presence in himself. But he felt no comforting warmth, only his own thin arms and the emptiness of loss. His eyes began to burn with tears he couldn't release.

_I don't have time for this. I can't dwell on the past. I have to figure out what to do tomorrow. I won't fail another person I care about._

Kai pushed back his grief and concentrated on the coming day. He knew that there were two other possible outcomes besides those Gavriil had discussed with him. The first was to battle with all his strength and win. Kai knew it was more than possible to beat Ran. In the time since he had last battled his friend, the stakes of losing during training at the abbey in Russia had changed. The harsh expectations and punishments had forced him to become practically undefeated in battle. He no longer felt the usual awe when he thought of Ran's phoenix; it was just another bit beast, with all the usual weaknesses.

The only problem with winning was that he didn't know what his grandfather hoped to accomplish with the battle. Obviously, there was much more at stake than just a beybattle. His grandfather would never have made such severe threats if he didn't have something very large riding on the outcome. Kai really didn't want to learn what his grandfather wanted after the fact. After everything that had happened to him, he didn't want his grandfather to succeed in anything.

The second possible outcome was that, despite his efforts, he loses the battle. Ran was a good battler and if he had continued to improve at the rate he had been, he would be a tough challenge. Kai felt fairly confident that his grandfather would not punish him through Ran or his family as long as he battled with all his strength. If he lost the battle, Kai was sure that only he would bear the brunt of the punishment. Of all the possibilities before him, Kai wished with all his soul that Ran would beat him. Even if his punishment for losing was death, it would be for the best.

Morning came before he was ready. Unable to sleep at all, Kai watched the dawn paint the sky and felt nothing but anger. It felt unfair that the world could be so beautiful and happy when everything was crashing down around him. Mechanically, he got dressed and pushed the chair that he had used to block the door out of the way. He was not surprised to see Gavriil slouching against the wall opposite his door.

"Sleep well."

It wasn't a question, it was more of a taunt. But Kai didn't answer him, he just walked past the blonde man and downstairs to where his grandfather was waiting for him. Mikki was with Voltaire, glaring daggers at the silent boy. The silence lengthened as no one spoke. Kai already understood what was expected of him and turned without a word to leave.

It was an odd procession that left the house. The slender, fragile figure of the boy was in front, followed closely by the three tall men. He walked the path confidently, it was one he had taken many times. The trail was fairly short, but Kai had never fully appreciated that fact when he had been going to meet his friend. Now, though, he wished it was much longer.

_I'm not dumb enough to believe that there is any 'higher power' looking out for me, not after Nadya. But I'd be willing to reconsider it if a miracle happened now. I'm not picky. Make it so that Ran doesn't show up. Give Grandfather a heart attack before we get to the meadow. Hell, strike me down with lightning, I'm sure I deserve it and that's what everyone says you do anyways. I don't care, just stop me from fighting Ran._

There was no intervention from above, but then, Kai hadn't really believed that there would be. As they approached the clearing, he could hear the familiar sounds of a spinning blade. Although some people might think that all blades were alike, Kai knew better than that. Each blade was unique and the sound of the blade could be as distinctive as a person's heart beat. He didn't have to see the blader to know who it was.

When he entered the clearing, he saw Ran practicing in the small dish. The raven haired boy was obviously enjoying himself as his white blade spun around the circumference of the dish. He must have heard them enter the meadow, because he suddenly called his blade back to his hand and turned sparkling crimson eyes towards Kai.

"Hey, Kai," Ran called out to him, his smile bright and his eyes curious at the sight of the men behind his friend. Other than Nadya, Ran had never met anyone Kai knew.

Kai didn't answer his friend, he merely approached the dish to stand opposite of Ran. Instead of the normal happiness he felt when he met his friend, Kai felt hollow, empty. Any last shred of hope that he had been clinging to was torn away. All that was left for him was the battle before him.

Ran's smile slipped from his face when it wasn't returned. He couldn't help but notice how much his friend had changed in the past year. Staring into his friend's dark eyes, he realized they were now eye to eye. Kai had always been shorter than him, but now they were the same height. But that was only natural, the things that worried Ran were the changes that seemed to have been inflicted on his friend. Kai was normally slender, but he seemed too thin now, almost fragile. And, even though, his long sleeves and pants most likely concealed a myriad of new scars, he couldn't hide the strange blue marks on each side of his face. They made Ran think of claws, grabbing his friend from behind.

"Kai," Ran was growing more concerned as each silent second passed. "What's wrong? Who are they? Where's Nadya?"

It may have been a trick of the light, but Ran would have sworn Kai's eyes became even darker. Still there was no answer from his friend, instead the older man before Kai replied.

"She couldn't make it. I am Kai's grandfather, you may call me Voltaire." The older man was smiling, but to Ran it was as treacherous as a snake's. "I've heard so much about you. Gavriil says you are quite the bey battler, so I'm afraid I had see it for myself. Please, go ahead. I won't interrupt."

Ran's eyes darted back and forth between the men and Kai. He didn't trust them for one minute. He knew who Gavriil was even though he had never met the man. Kai had told him many times of the so-called training he endured from him. Now he had a face to go with the name. He had seen the blonde man behind Kai's grandfather smirk when his name was mentioned. Something was very wrong, but Ran couldn't just leave. He knew he could find a way to help his friend.

"Sorry, I don't feel like blading right now," Ran replied, throwing a glare at the blonde. "In fact, I was just about to head home for breakfast. Kai, you're coming, right?"

Ran was getting desperate. He didn't like the way the blonde man was watching him and Kai. He thought that if he could get Kai away for a little bit, maybe he could figure out what was going on. He tried to signal Kai to agree, but the other boy's eyes remained downcast.

"I'm sorry, Ran, but I can't. We have to battle. Now."

Ran was surprised at the dull tone to his friend's voice. Kai sounded much older than he should.

"If you want to battle, Kai, I will. But I don't think you want to. Why don't we ditch these old guys and get out of here."

There was no answer from the boy across from him. He moved to Kai's side, trying to have a bit of privacy away from the men who seemed too interested in them.

"Kai, please talk to me," Ran leaned towards Kai and spoke softly to him alone. "What happened to you? How did you get those strange marks? Why didn't Nadya come?"

"If I answer, do you promise to battle against me and not to ask me anymore questions?"

_Please, Ran don't make this any harder than it already is. If you don't fight me, I'm afraid Grandfather will get impatient and hurt you._

Ran bit his lip, thinking hard on what he was promising. He didn't want to compromise, but he was desperate to find out what was wrong with Kai.

"Alright, I promise." _I hope I'm doing the right thing._

"Nadya is dead," Kai's voice was achingly emotionless. "It was my fault and these marks are my punishment for it."

"Kai, you can't mean," Ran was already reaching towards him before he had finished his sentence. His hand stopped in midair as Kai recoiled away from him.

"You promised. No questions." Kai's dark eyes seemed to be pleading with him.

"You're right. I did." Ran bowed his head in acknowledgement. "That wasn't a fair deal, Kai, but I'll keep my promises. I always keep my promises, remember."

There was a deeper meaning in Ran's phrasing, it held the promise of their friendship. Kai saw it immediately and held that friendship close to his heart. Since he had to battle, he would do his best and put his trust in Ran's skills.

"I would never forget. Ready?"

Kai fit his blade in his launcher and watched his friend do the same. Staring at each other across the dish, they both held their launch pose. Neither wanted to battle, not really, each waited for the other to make the first move.

"Remember, Kai," his grandfather's poisonous voice called out from behind him, "You are the best. Now prove it to me."

Even though he initially flinched at his grandfather's words, they acted as a trigger for him. His blue blade flew away from him, to land perfectly in the dish. Ran had instinctively responded to it with the launch of his own blade.

Kai's blue blade immediately went on the attack, flinging itself recklessly at Ran's. Ran's blade was a blur of movement. Each time the blue blade attacked, the white would dodge quickly out of the way. Hearing the weighted sigh behind him, Kai forced his blade to pick up speed. Soon Kai's blade was pushing its opponent around the dish. Sparks flew out of the dish with each impact, but Kai continued his relentless attack. Ran watched, biting his lower lip, but refused to respond to Kai's force.

"Ran."

Ran looked up from the battle to see Kai staring at him. Kai's face was completely emotionless, but his eyes seemed to be reaching out to him.

"You don't stand a chance in this fight if you don't get serious. I am putting everything into this battle, I expect you to do the same."

"But I don't want to fight you. I don't care who wins."

"I care," Kai sighed. "This battle is more important than you realize. If you care about our friendship, than you'll battle me with all your strength."

Ran hesitated, not knowing how to respond. The two blades continued to impact in the dish, but his own blade seemed to reflect his doubt. The white blade rebounded from a strong blow and landed at the edge of the dish. The blade wobbled unsteadily as the blue blade sped towards it.

"You promised."

The blue blade struck Ran's, knocking the white blade into the air high above the dish. For a moment, Kai thought he might have defeated Ran, but Ran had taken Kai's words to heart. The white blade used the impact to increase its own spin and landed back in the center of the dish. Taking the offensive, Ran's blade began charging at Kai's.

Kai almost sighed in relief, but was careful not to let any emotions through his mask. He let himself concentrate only on the battle. He could almost pretend it was just a simple battle between friends. The two blades moved skillfully around the dish. Attack, defend, counter-attack. Bey battles were like dances to Kai. Each move seemed spontaneous, but with the gracefulness that only came with practice. His blade was a streak of blue, aggressively leading the dance around the dish. Ran's blade was a counter-point to his lead.

Kai watched the blades appreciatively, he knew the white blade almost as well as his own. It was a beautiful blade, pure white with tracing of gold on each of the edges. When it was spinning, the gold blurred together to create a halo effect around the golden bit at its center.

After countless battles, Kai had become very adept at maintaining a critical eye during his matches. As he watched the two blades continue to struggle, he could see his blade had the advantage. The blue continually struck harder and more accurately than the white. If the battle continued as it was, he would easily win. But Ran must have realized it at the same time, because he suddenly decided to raise the stakes.

"Zephyr, attack!"

Kai remained impassive as the majestic phoenix rose from his bit. Behind him, he heard Mikki's startled exclamation, as well as his grandfather's quiet murmurs of appreciation. The phoenix was as beautiful as he had remembered it, its pale golden feathers awash in white flames. It left a trail of white hot fire behind it as it began to stalk his blade. Now the white blade was the aggressor.

The tide of the battle had turned and now Kai's blade was at the mercy of Ran's. Each strike of the white blade left flames lingering on Kai's. After numerous hits, the blue blade seemed to be wreathed in its own fire because of the damage inflicted by the white. Kai could hear low voices behind him, signaling his grandfather's displeasure with the new shift. But Kai had promised to give everything to the battle to save his friend and he knew that, despite appearances, he was still winning the battle.

It was because Ran wasn't aware of Kai's intense training that he believed that he now had the upper hand. He saw a small frown appear on Kai's face and believed that it was a signal of his impending triumph. What he didn't know was the frown was because Kai had already seen that he could beat Ran.

_Always overconfident.__ Every opponent with a bit beast thinks they will win purely because of their beasts. I thought Ran would be different. I'd hoped…_

Thinking the end was near, Ran sent Zephyr into its ultimate attack. The blade moved in a pattern Kai had seen many times before, after all, Ran had perfected it on him. With Kai's blade pinned in the center of the dish, Zephyr began looping back and forth past the blade, rocking it with a hit with each pass. Because the blade followed the same path each time, a constant path of flames stood in the dish. It formed a fiery symbol of infinity.

Kai's blade was at the intersection of the loops and was enduring the harsh pounding that was designed to completely disrupt a blade's spin and cause it to fall. But Kai had anticipated that and already had a plan in mind. With his grandfather behind him, he had no choice but to finish the fight.

"I'm sorry, Ran," Kai bowed his head, sending his blade into action. "I don't have any choice."

Ran didn't have time to puzzle out the meaning behind Kai's words. In a blink of an eye, he saw his infinity loop disrupted. Kai's blade had deliberately broken its own spin and wobbled insanely. The unanticipated angles the blue blade was taking caused Zephyr to ricochet wildly, its own spin becoming haphazard. As the fiery infinity faded, the blades met in a final impact and then it was over.

The three men watching the battle were silent, the end was not what they had expected. Kai didn't know how to react. The battle was over, but he didn't know what would happen next. Sadly, he looked down at the white blade that lay at his feet.

"That was a great battle, Kai."

Looking over at his friend, Kai watched as Ran scooped up Kai's blue blade from where it had landed outside the dish. Smiling, Ran reached over the dish to hand Kai his blade.

"I was sure I had you, but you've sure gotten stronger."

Kai didn't reach towards his blade. He was waiting for the fallout. He didn't have to wait long.

"You lost!" Voltaire bellowed in outrage, his face flushed with anger.

"Technically speaking," Mikki interjected, "he tied."

"Fool," Voltaire backhanded Mikki off his feet. "There is no such thing as a tie. Victory is all that matters. If you don't win, you lose."

Kai was already backing away from his grandfather while Ran looked on slack-jawed. He had never seen such casual violence before and didn't know how to react. All he knew was that he had to stay and help Kai. Kai had experienced it far too often and wanted only to flee, but he couldn't as long as Ran was still there.

Gavriil knew what to do in the situation. In three steps he had Kai by the throat and pinned to a tree behind him. Kai fought his iron grip, his feet dangling off the ground, his hands clawing at Gavriil's arm. He could hear his grandfather continuing his rant as his struggle against Gavriil's strength became a struggle for air.

"A waste. All that planning, all my efforts, all of it reduced to nothing. You are useless. I should have killed you when you were born and saved myself some time and money."

Kai's eyesight began to dim, the encroaching darkness narrowing his focus until all he could see was Gavriil's smile. It grew wider with each escalating insult from Voltaire. Kai was losing strength, his weakly clawing hands fell to his side and he lost the last of his vision.

"Ran," Kai stopped struggling to inhale and used his last breath to try to call out to his friend. "…nigete…"

He had heard once that when a person died, hearing is the last thing to go. Kai thought it must be true because he heard one last voice before he was lost in the darkness.

"Let Kai go! I won't let you hurt him!!"

* * *

As slowly as Kai had felt the world fade away, it was even slower in returning to him. It was a strange experience. Sensation was the first sense to return. Kai felt a chill creeping into his cheek and forehead from the hard surface below him. 

_What? Where am I? Ugh, why's the bed so cold and hard. No, it's the floor. _

_Why am I lying on the floor? _

Kai couldn't remember where he was or how he got there and the lack of outer stimuli only served to increase his confusion. He willed himself to open his eyes and, reluctantly, they finally obeyed him. A pale stone surface greeted him and was all he saw until he could will his muscles to work. As he pushed himself up, he saw he was in a dimly lit cell. He could tell from the shading of the rock that he was still in the underground cells in Japan, the rocks of the Russian abbey were much darker than the ones around him.

Kai was surprised to find that he wasn't restrained. He was stiff and it hurt to move, but he had freedom to roam the cell. Taking advantage of that fact, Kai rose unsteadily to his feet and staggered towards the wooden door. From the protests of his muscles, Kai could tell that he had been beaten after he had lost consciousness.

_That's strange. Normally grandfather holds his punishments until I'm awake enough to 'learn from them.' He was so angry that I didn't win against Ran, I guess he was too angry to wait for me to wake up. Will he be satisfied with this punishment?_

Kai fell heavily against the door, a sudden thought making him feel weak.

_Ran! He was there, he saw everything. No! I told him to run. Did he escape? Was that him yelling? Grandfather was so angry with me, he could have taken it out on Ran. I have to get out and find him!_

There was no handle on the door, Voltaire had designed the doors to have a bolt lock on the outside to secure them. He had not wanted any possibility of his captives being able to pick a lock and thus escape him. Kai peered out the small barred window looking for any sign of a guard on duty, but there was no one in sight.

Knowing that it was probably hopeless, Kai grabbed a hold of the bars and began to pull the door towards him. He almost fell when the door swung easily inward.

_This is too easy. I wasn't restrained. The doors not bolted. It doesn't make any sense. I wonder if they thought I was worse of than I am. If they assigned that new guy, Mikki, to take care of me, he may have assumed I was too beaten and too weak to try to escape. Could Grandfather really have miscalculated that badly? Can I make that assumption?_

_It doesn't matter. I don't have any other choice. I have to get out of here and find Ran._

Peering down the dim hall, Kai cautiously moved out of his cell. Luckily, he had been thrown in the last cell on the corridor. Now as he made his escape, he could check each cell he passed for his friend. The first few were obviously empty. Their doors were open and there was a layer of dust on the floor from the time spent without an occupant. It was the final door where the hall intersected with another that caused him to pause. Both the door and its small barred window were bolted shut.

Pushing back the blind on the window, Kai peered into the dark room. He couldn't make out much because of the poor lighting, but he thought he could see a darker mass on the floor. He was so intent on trying to make out the form on the floor that he didn't hear the soft footsteps that came behind him.

"Looking for something?"

Kai didn't even have time to turn around before he felt Gavriil's strong arms grab him and he was smashed forward against the door. Taking advantage of the stunned boy, Gavriil unbolted the door in front of him and tossed his limp body inside.

Stumbling, Kai tripped over the shapeless mass he had seen from the window and sprawled across it. There was no denying it, from his current position he could tell that it was a person he had fallen across. Quickly, he pushed himself up and off the one he was laying on, hoping that he had not caused any pain when he had landed on him. With his back against the wall, he peered at the body and, as his eyes adjusted, he could make out more details. They were enough to identify whose cell he was now sharing.

"…no…," Kai's voice was softer than a whisper.

Crawling hurriedly forward, Kai grabbed a hold of the limp body before him and slowly turned it over. He flinched at the wet, stickiness he felt under his hands as he cradled the body against his chest. With a shaking hand, he gently brushed ebony hair away from the face he knew as well as his own.

"Ran…," his voice shook as he quietly called out to his friend.

There was no answer. Kai pulled the light body closer, bowing his head over his friend. He felt so weak and useless. After all he had done, it was still not enough. His friend's body was liberally decorated with injuries.

_No! It's not fair. I fought so hard. Grandfather shouldn't have done this to you. Why didn't you run away? You could have escaped! You should have left me. If I had never met you…if I had never become friends with you…it's all my fault…_

"Why?" a soft voice whispered into his arms.

Pulling back from the embrace, Kai's eyes grew wide as he saw scarlet eyes staring up at him. Ran was looking up at him from where he lay in Kai's arms. Kai was consumed with guilt at the pain he had caused his friend. Closing his eyes, he turned his head away from his friend's intense stare. He didn't want to see the hate and accusation that Ran surely felt.

"Kai…look at me," Kai's eyes were drawn back by the entreaty is Ran's voice. "Why did he hurt you?"

"…what…" Kai was at a loss to answer Ran's unexpected question. "What do you mean?"

"What did they do to you Kai? Please tell me, trust me. Why did they do this to you?"

Kai was shocked at the trust he could see in Ran's eyes, hear in his voice. After all that had happened to him, Ran still believed in him.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I don't understand any of it. I don't know why Grandfather insisted I battle you."

Kai could feel small tremors moving through Ran's body. The hot blood crawling over his hands seemed to be taking Ran's warmth with it. Desperate to do anything for his friend, Kai's words poured out of him. He couldn't fix anything, couldn't heal his friend, but he could tell him all that he had been keeping from him.

Ran's crimson eyes grew dark and tears ran down his face to mingle with his blood as Kai spoke about his past. He told him everything; his mother's abuse, the scientists' experiments, the cruel training, his grandfather's threats, Nadya's death, everything. Finally, Kai's voice trailed off, he felt weak, as if he had emptied everything inside of himself when he told Ran. After all that, he realized that there was one last thing he needed to tell his friend.

"I'm sorry," he said bowing his head again, "it was all my fault."

Kai didn't see Ran reach out towards him, his hand trembling with pain and fatigue, but he did feel it when Ran grasped his shirt at his chest and weakly shook him.

"It wasn't your fault. You didn't do any of this. You didn't deserve any of this. If anything, I think it might have been because of me"

Ran's breathing was becoming harsh, his effort to reach his friend was draining him of the last of his strength. The tremors that wracked his body were becoming weaker. But still, he couldn't give up.

"Ran," Kai could see how weak his friend was getting. "How could any of this have been your fault? Don't talk, just rest. Save your strength. I'll find a way out."

Kai tried to loosen Ran's grip on his shirt so he could try to search for a way out, but Ran refused to let go. Ran just watched him sadly, his eyes burning unnaturally.

"Kai…Zephyr?"

Scanning the cell, Kai could see two small shapes lying on the other side of Ran. He leaned over his friend and scooped up the two blades.

"Here, it's right here."

Kai pressed the white blade into his friend's other hand and was startled to feel it tingling warmly in his hand. Ran closed his hand tightly around his blade, smiling sadly up at Kai.

"Kai…I think it's too late…what's going to happen…to you…?"

"…now…?" Kai knew what Ran was asking. _What will happen to me after you die…?_

"Grandfather doesn't tolerate weakness," Kai spoke without emotion. "He'll kill me."

_And it doesn't matter. I couldn't save Nadya, I couldn't save you. I just wish I could have died before I hurt you both._

"…no…I won't let him…"

Staring into Ran's crimson eyes, he saw that his friend could no longer see him. His bright eyes stared sightlessly past Kai as tears fell and he released Kai's shirt to blindly reach for his hand. He felt his pinky captured by Ran's in the sign of a solemn pinky promise. Kai felt his eyes burn. He had seen enough death to know it when it approached.

"…I promise…"

Ran's last breath escaped him, but his eyes didn't dim, if anything, they burned brighter. Kai cried out in surprise as a bright flame burst out of the hand that Ran had Zephyr clenched in. In moments, the flames had completely surrounded the body of his friend. The heat became intense and Kai could feel them begin to crawl over him, but he would not release his friend. Smiling, Kai pulled Ran into a tighter embrace and welcomed the flames like a friend.

_--"Don't worry, Kai, remember our promise? Best friends. I told you I'd always be there for you. No matter what. And I don't intend to break that promise."-- _

---------tbc

I miss my stars and symbols T.T

Well, that was a hard chapter. I've been building towards it for a long time. I like the first part of the chapter, but I'm not completely satisfied with the second. But I knew I had to post, I'm too slow these days ;;

I hope it was long enough to satisfy everyone. I know some of my more recent ones have been rather short. I have certain things to cover in each chapter and the plot points and events that surround them determine the chapter lengths. I actually had another piece that I initially meant to put in this chapter, but I think it will work better in the next chapter. Besides, I don't know if you guys could have waited patiently (well, some of you) for me to add another portion. Now you'll just have to endure the wait for the next one.

Ok, one last thing to do and then I post…

**Special Thanks to:**

**SquirrelOfShadows**_giggles _I have to admit, I get a bit distracted with the image of Kai in tight clothes, too _drools_ Don't worry about not catching everything, it's meant to be confusing. The true test of my abilities will be if I can clear the confusion for everybody by the end. Besides I don't expect much from people who can't appreciate the utter coolness that is Sasuke _winks_

**Fey Phantom: **Yep, you got his papa figured out. I hope camp was fun and that you enjoyed this chapter too. A few posted, my, weren't you optimistic _laughs_ I know I'm not moving fast, but I do keep plodding on.

**Droopy1389: **_laughs_ your reviews are always so hilarious. Another lover of Kai's tight clothes, ne? Now, now, you can't kill BD I have plans for him

**Soul Clara:** Isn't it the coolest song. Glad you liked it. I haven't killed Kai, not yet at least _cue the evil laughter and scary music _And I love ending in cliffies, it's the only way that I can ensure that all my readers come back ;P Catch ya next chapter

**Kai the Ruthless Blader: **_laughs _nice attempt at a long review. I hope this chapter was long enough, and good enough, for you. I do have fun plans ahead for Kai and BD, and Dranzer as well.

**Firen103: **yes…no…I don't know…_giggles_ Actually, I do know, but I'm not telling. You'll just have to stick around and see whether or not I kill Kai ;P

**Cherrii**Long time, no see. Thanks for coming back to review. Hope you come back for the next

**HimikoSukie** I'm glad you liked the chapter. I thought I light one was in order. Now we are back to the darkness. I'm afraid I will probably leave Kai's mother's feeling about his father a mystery. She was the only one who really knew how she felt, and since she's dead, she can't tell anyone anymore. It's a sad fact of life, but there are some mysteries that can never be solved.

**Ellen: **I'm very flattered. I love JK Rowling's work. I think a lot of people underestimate her because of the fact that she has been classified as a children's book author. I have yet to figure out the bad guys in her books until she tells me. Not many authors can do that for me. Thanks!!!

**Jouka**** no Kou: **Glad that makes sense. I can't exactly answer your question about Dranzer right now. It's one of the mysteries I'm in the middle of solving. Gomen, I'll help you out with the answer if you don't get it in another couple chapters. Ja ne!

**WoLfSpIrItStorm**I'm so glad you liked it. I've been a little worried that the length of it would stop people from reading it. I'm getting to the point where you can't read it in one sitting. I hope you continue to enjoy

**Umi** _laughs _Sadly, I know what you mean. There are a couple stories that I do check on every day _blushes _I almost cry when I don't see an update. Sorry for the torturous wait. I'm glad you're sticking with me. See you next chapter

**LaDiNi**_smiles _I'm feeling much better now, thanks. I think I've finally accepted it, I've stopped expecting to see him each day. Sorry, the last email was such a dark one. I hope this chapter cleared up the 'no' for you in last chapter. I am also looking forward to seeing Hideaki and Kai react, as well as the revelation about the door. _Laughs _you're doing a good job, too, of 'seeing beneath the underneath' I think I did mislead you on one thing though. Hideaki was not scarred by Isamu's attack, it was when Kai burned down the abbey. He was burned trying to save Marya. I'll get into that later though ;) Ja ne!

**Natasha-Li: **Hope you're still hanging around ;P Thanks for the review. I may leave you hanging, but I'll always come back ;)

**Gillian Sillis: **_giggles_ my, aren't you persistent ;) I did say, the story will be completed and that I knew what was going to happen in each story, but I haven't written it all yet. And even though I know what needs to be covered, I don't always like how it's coming together, so sometimes, it takes time. Be patient, it will get done, just not immediately ;P I'm glad you like the fight scene with Kai and Hedeon in the earlier chapter. I wanted Kai to win too, but I really loved the emotional impact the end would bring to Kai. I just couldn't resist it. As to your questions, I'll say what I can, the rest you'll have to wait for…1) When it comes to Voltaire, there are no coincidences. 2) Hope the above chapter answered this one, 3) Big mystery, main plot, that is all ;P (cool song by the way)

**Artemis347:** Don't be depressed _hands out tissues_ Even though the story is dark, it is meant to show the light. Strange, ne, but you'll see what I mean. Stick around so you can see the sunrise with Kai

**Angel Spirit:** _laughs _I am neither cruel nor mean, I am…EVIL!!! _MWAHAHAHAHAHA ahem _Yep, that's me, it can be hard to find good stories about your favorite characters. I'm glad that you find mine to be one. _Giggles _I do love my cliffies thoug, so be ready for more of them ;P

**Darkinuyasha**_giggles _thanks, and put down the blow torch! Hope you continue to enjoy. Cathc ya next time!

**Icy blade anonymous1250: **Yea! Another fun review. Let's see…I'm glad you liked Takao's defeat. I know everyone was cheering for him, but I bet everyone really wanted to see him lose deep in their hearts. I hate how he always wins in the show, too. I just don't think there is any way he would win against Kai. I think the difference is the same as between a sport hunter and someone who had to hunt to survive. The sport hunter may be a great shot, but it doesn't matter if they miss because when they going home, dinner will be there waiting. A person who has to hunt to survive _must_ make the kill. If they miss, they is no dinner. There is no way Takao, who goofs around, could beat Kai, who blades to survive. (As for the quote, I think Takao looks like the type of kid who'd waite a week in line to watch Star Wars ;P)

Let's see…BD, it controls the bit beasts it devours, the same way as it is doing to Kai, it basically shoves them in a corner and works through them. BD is definitely more of a parasite than a guardian. In truth, he is the absolute opposite of Dranzer. The shadow that is opposite of the light. BD's fate is one of the mysteries within the story, so you'll have to wait. As for Rei using Driger, it looks like maybe he won't have too ;) Also, the bit beasts don't skip generations, they can bu used by anyone sharing blood. Since Kuraiko is not related she couldn't have used the beast. Even if she had managed to marry into the family, she wouldn't have been able to, but her child could have (Can you imagine Voltaire Houo, talk about a horrible possible future)

Last hint. (cool research on names by the way) I definitely love how a name can be such a subtle hint on the plot. Like hotaru…a firefly is a beautiful creature that does no harm and that is doomed to a quick death. Sounds Like Kai's grandmother, ne? Now, let's look at bit beasts names. I though it was interesting that each beast was similar in a way; Dragoon, Driger, Draciel, Dranzer. Do you see the common thread? Now take Kai's best friend's name and his bit beast's name. Say them really quickly together…do you see it? See ya next time!!

**K.c** _giggles _for some reason that always reminds me of South Park…'oh my god, you killed Kenny/Kai' Thanks for the review

**Rookie13: **Ta-da, more!

**Vampyre**** Neko: **It did seem pretty simple at first, ne? Glad you came back for a second look. I look forward to your next review ;)

**MasterFranny**_laughs _I could be scared 'my number one fan' but instead, I'll be flattered. You've done some good reasoning, as you saw in this chapter. Ran is truly a great person. Ran is sort of what I would picture Kai being like if he had had a loving family like Ran. Ran is the possibility he never had. (so sad, ne) Thanks for the high praise. I didn't think this story would end up being so long or complicated, but it really developed a life of its own. I do hope to write and publish some day. I post to practice and to show myself that I can do it. Thanks again, matte ne!

**Syaoron****-Lover: **First for your question; no all the Demolition Boys are not dead. I only killed Bryan. However, the others will not appear in the story. I am starting my final ascent, heading towards the final cliff and the conclusion. I just can't put anymore characters into the story or else it will never end. As I get to the end, I'm actually not sure how many more chapters there will be. Best guess is 4-5. I think I should have it wrapped up by then. Seems like a good number, but it's tiny compared to how many I've already written. Thanks for the review. Please leave a little light after this one. ;)

**Shinigami's**** Voice: **_school girl squeal _Yea!! It's Death!!! Welcome back, you've been gone so long. (_grumble_but I do know your reviewing behavior) _giggles and blushes _I'm not always that good myself. Thanks for the review. As of right now, Kai is alive, that's all I'm promising. But since you're death, you should have his death in your appointment book. You know if he dies now, or when he's 100 years old, ne ;P I'm glad you liked and I hope you come back. I just have one thing to say to you. WHY ARE YOU WASTING TIME REVIEWING MY STORY WHEN YOU SHOULD BE POSTING ON YOUR OWN!!! If I could MAKE A WISH!!!, I think you'd know what I would wish for, ne? _Pulls out whip _now, BACK TO WORK!

**Midnight**** Insanity: **_bows low_ thanks for the review. Such wonderful praise to inflate my ego. I really am trying hard to keep the characters true to themselves. I am also a firm believer in subtlety. It's so much more fun to move with the characters and learn as they do. I think it draws you into the story and its emotions better that way. I will fully solve the mysteries you asked about in this and the next couple of chapters. I hope you like the answers. Ja ne!

**Yami**** Sami-sama: **o.o Not a quick update, but hopefully a good one, ne? matte ne!

**Kawari**I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I will send you the pic after I post this. As for Kai's triangles, they are tattoos (at least in my story) He just wears make up to cover them in school. Think how people would stare and act around him if he left them out where everyone can see them. Welcome to my reality

Thanks again for everyone that reviewed. I just realized something. In my stats, it says I have 401 reviews (I'm so happy), but to the general populace, it says I have 414 reviews. I bigger number, but it makes me worried. I hope that I have not missed anyone with my reviewer thanks. If I did, GOMENASAI!!!! You guys are all great and I don't want anyone to think that I didn't appreciate their review.

Okay,you've waited for it long enough I think. Next chapter will have the end of Kai's battle, against Rei, against Black Dranzer, and against himself. Stick around to see it.

Don't forget to leave a little light on your way out. The next chapter will be **I'm No Pawn**

Bring the Sun!!!


	26. I'm No Pawn

**Disclaimer:** I wonder if other authors just stop in mid story because they hate having to continue with these things. Oh, the sacrifices I make _sighs_ I don't own any animes, any songs, or anything else that someone else does. Does that clear things up any?

**Warning:** Some detailed descriptions of bad stuff, but no real violence or gore. I don't think there is any cussing either. Hmmm….am I getting lax?

**Author's Note:** You should thank me nicely. I posted this one way sooner than I thought I would. J Finally, the chapter that I'm sure you have all been waiting for. Kai and the 'Breakers reunited!!! Now, some authors, and readers, might think this is the end. Never fear, you're still confused on some issues? I'm not done yet!! This ends when I feel it ends well. _Boy, I hope I am not setting myself up for failure._

Quick Japanese Lesson:

Warui – (adjective) literally means 'bad, wrong' I love this word. In Japanese, you'll see it used a lot by itself as an apology. The best translation I can give you ranges anywhere from, 'I'm sorry' to 'it was my fault' to 'My bad.' I love it! It can be heart-felt or extremely flippant. You decide which translation you like when you read it ;)

**World So Cold**

**Chapter XXVI: I'm No Pawn**

"Hisaki no Unmei?"

Rei was torn between wanting to find out what Hideaki knew and somehow reaching and helping his friend. He didn't have to suffer his indecision long though. It was at that moment that the firestorm surrounding Kai abated. The scarlet flames became a whirlpool as they pulled back into the blade that spawned them. In seconds, the flames had completely vanished, revealing Kai's slender form. Rei was surprised to see that, despite the flames that had appeared to ravage Kai's body, there was no trace of burns.

Kai was standing with his head bowed, his hands clasped tightly on something that he held close to his chest obscuring the intriguing glint of silver Rei had noticed before. Rei could see a bit of blue between Kai's fingers and realized it was Dranzer in his hands. His eyes were closed, as if he was praying. He looked almost peaceful, something Rei had never seen in Kai before.

Maybe it was the strange expression of peace on Kai's face, or maybe it was the fear that Kai was still not himself, but none of his team mates made a move towards him. Rei was alright with that, though, because when he heard Kai's voice, he knew that they had won.

"Dranzer."

Kai's voice was soft, directed only at the blade he held in his hands, but it was _his _voice. It sounded neutral, but Rei heard the strain of buried emotions. He didn't just hear the name of Kai's beast; he heard affection, apology, and a deep sadness. Rei felt a smile start to form, the first real smile he'd had since Kai was taken from them.

"Draciel…Dragoon," Kai's words held entreaty.

Rei watched as the crimson flames sprang up again, cupped in Kai's hands. This time the flames seemed tamed, content to play among Kai's fingers. At the same time, Rei noticed a crimson flash come from the black blade spinning by itself on the tree's surface. A ripple of red and gold fire circled the dark bit that held Black Dranzer. It grew in strength and intensity, causing the blade to wobble precariously. As the black blade unbalanced and fell, two brilliant flashes of light sprang from the bit and shot out towards Takao and Max. Both boys began to jump up and down, hugging each other and shouting their happiness at Rei.

"Draciel's back!!"

"Awesome, I knew he wouldn't be able to take Dragoon from me!!"

Rei's smile grew even bigger, if it was possible. _We won. Takao and Max have their bit beasts back, safe and sound. Kai is back to himself. It's over! It's finally over!!_

His attention was drawn away from Takao and Max by the soft hiss of surprise from the man beside him. Following Hikeaki's gaze, he saw Kai's eyes were now open and staring directly at them. Any last lingering doubts were erased from Rei's mind when he saw the familiar crimson eyes burning into his. The only problem was the deep sadness that Rei could see kindling that fire.

"…warui…"

The word seemed to drain Kai of all his strength. Time seemed to slow down as Rei raced towards his friend. Rei knew he was running, but felt like he was moving through molasses. Ever so slowly, Kai's eyelids drifted shut as his crimson eyes rolled up. Kai seemed to crumple as his body fell lifelessly to the ground.

Rei reached Kai in two heartbeats. He knew this because he could feel his heart slamming against his ribs with each beat. Takao, Max, and Kenny were a heartbeat behind, reaching them as Rei knelt down and pulled Kai into his arms. Takao immediately grabbed a hold of Kai's shoulders and began to frantically shake him while calling his name.

"Kai! Kai!! Come on, man, wake up!!"

"Stop it!" the blonde pulled Takao off of Kai. "We don't know if he's hurt anywhere or not."

The old stereotype held that blonde's are fun, energetic, and complete airheads. Rei knew Max well enough not to judge him by that limited idea. The blonde may be energetic and positive, but he was in no way stupid. Max was extremely smart, especially when it came to his friends' well-being. Without knowing what happened to Kai, he knew that Takao's zealous attempts to wake Kai might actually hurt him more. Carefully, he leaned over Kai's limp form, his cheek close to Kai's mouth as he watched Kai's chest. A warm, gentle puff of air brushed against his cheek and Max turned his bright eyes up at Rei.

"He's breathing!"

"Well, damn," a low voice drawled from the trees. "Quite a climactic show, but not exactly the ending I wanted."

Max and Takao leapt to their feet, positioning themselves in front of where Rei and Kenny knelt with Kai. Rei looked up past his friends' legs to see a familiar scarred, blonde man step out from the shadows of the trees.

"It's him," Rei unconsciously pulled Kai's body closer. "He was there that night. He was one of the men that attacked us and took Kai."

Takao and Max closed ranks in front of their friends shielding them from the strange man as much as they could.

"We won't let you anywhere near our friends!" Max glared defiantly at the man who was slowly approaching them.

"You may have taken Kai once, but this time you have to go through us."

"I don't see that as being any sort of problem," the man sneered at them. "In fact, it will be a real pleasure to cause his friends pain while I retrieve him. I'll make sure to tell Kai about it when he wakes up, I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

As the man came closer, Rei could see Takao's shoulders tensing up. Any minute, he knew the bluenette would launch himself into danger.

"Stop!"

A tall, slender form suddenly stepped out in front of Takao and Max. Rei could see the sunlight dancing along the naked blade Hideaki held. He had imposed himself between the man and the children, his blade at the ready. There was no way he would let them be harmed.

"Ah, what an unexpected reunion," Hedeon said glancing from Hideaki to where Kai lay and back again. "I certainly didn't expect to find you here."

Hideaki's eyes narrowed as he tried to recall where he had met the man before. He would have thought that he would remember someone that was that badly scarred, but he couldn't place the man's face.

Hedeon continued to walk closer until he was only about three feet from Kai's first defender. His face was unreadable as he stood beside the tree stump, but inside he was raging.

_Damn! So close. There's no way I can get to Kai now without more problems then I can handle. If I attack that idiot, he'll be able to fend me off with his sword for at least long enough for one or more of the boys to run for help. That will make things too complicated and I won't be able to explain my disobedience to Voltaire. _

_Kai, I _will_ come back for you. I promise._

"I would really like to have some fun with all of you," Hedeon sent one last sneer towards Kai, "but, unfortunately, I don't have time for that right now."

Scooping up the dark blade that held Black Dranzer, Hedeon turned and vanished into the trees. Hideaki watched the man disappear, but knew enough not to follow him. If he followed the scarred man, he would likely only end up falling into a trap. Or worse yet, it could be a trap for the children, a set up to have him leave them alone. It was safer for everyone if he stayed behind with Rei and his friends.

"Whew," Max groaned in relief. "I was a little afraid he'd actually come after us."

"Naw, he knew enough not to mess with the BladeBreakers."

Rei smiled at Takao's bravado, but silently agreed with Max. He did not want to fight against that man again. There were more important things to do. Gently laying Kai on the ground, Rei turned his back to him and crouched down.

"Help me get him settled," Rei said to Max and Takao over his shoulder. "I'll carry him back to the house."

"Don't bother," Hideaki put a hand on Rei's shoulder before the others could hoist Kai up piggy-back style. "Why don't you three run ahead and call for an ambulance? You should be safe enough together. I'll carry your friend back."

"Roger!"

Takao was already sprinting back towards the house, Max and Kenny right behind him. Rei watched as Hideaki got Kai settled in his arms and began walking towards his home. Hideaki was walking carefully, intent on not jostling the boy in his arms too much. He was surprised at how light the boy was in his arms, he could feel Kai's bones standing out in strong relief under his hands.

Hideaki took advantage of his vantage point to study the still form in his arms. The child in his arms was nothing like he had imagined him to be. In his mind, he had decided that this boy, Kai, was responsible for Ran's disappearance. He had expected to find a bully, a devious and cruel boy. Instead, he found himself looking down on a fragile, pale child who looked as if he wouldn't, and currently couldn't, lift a finger to harm anyone. The boy's slate grey hair fell heavily across his face, somewhat obscuring the strange blue marks Hideaki had seen when the flames cleared. And even though his dark clothes covered him almost completely, Hideaki could still see the sickly green and dusky purplish-blue bruises that marred the pale skin visible on his face and upper arms. The last thing that he noticed was a small, silver locket that dangled out from beneath the trailing black scarf around Kai's neck. Despite the evidence of scarring to the locket, it still carried a bright shine as if it was well taken care of. Hideaki recognized it as the type of locket that could be used to carry a picture or a precious keepsake and he wondered who or what the boy treasured enough to have kept the damaged locket.

By the time Hideaki arrived at his home, the ambulance had already arrived. The medics wasted no time loading Kai in and, after asking several questions that the boys were unable to answer, the ambulance was racing off towards the nearest hospital. Seeing the anxious faces of the boys around him, Hideaki quickly volunteered to drive the children to the hospital so they could stay close to their friend.

-----later-----

It was about an hour and a half later that Hideaki found himself sitting silently with Rei and the others waiting to find out how Kai was doing. Thankfully, since it was a small town, the hospital hadn't been very crowded when they arrived and asked for news on the injured boy. Hideaki had decided to stay when he saw how the hospital staff responded to Rei's simple statement, 'We want to find out how our friend, Kai, is doing.'

In no time, Hideaki and the four boys had been ushered out of the main waiting room and into a smaller conference room that Hideaki assumed was used for doctors' conferences. After being asked to wait there, the nurse who had escorted them disappeared. As each minute passed, the palpable fear in the small room seemed to grow. Feeling his nerves beginning to wear away, Rei decided to try to get everyone's minds off of their injured friend. And he knew exactly what topic to pick to do it.

"Houo-san, what did you mean when you said 'Hisaki no Unmei?' It looked like you knew something about what was happening to Kai."

"The Hisaki no Unmei is a secret of the Houo family," Hideaki responded automatically.

"Alright, but what is it," Takao was impatient with the short answer.

Hideaki rubbed his head tiredly, considering whether or not he should tell the four strangers his family's most ancient tradition. Finally, he decided that it would be better to tell them. After all, they had witnessed it themselves in the small clearing.

"It is a rite, or trial," Hideaki told them. "It is the Destiny of Flames."

"It really is less of a trial, though, and more of a recognition," he continued. "You all know and understand about the bond that a bit beast shares with its partner, right? And that the bond is passed on through the bloodlines of the family?"

Seeing nods all around, he went on.

"I spoke with Rei about this already, but the guardian spirit for my family is the phoenix, Zephyr. Since the phoenix is immortal, this bond is a bit different for our family. It has become a tradition that every child, male and female, in the Houo family will undergo the Hisaki no Unmei on their second birthday. Basically, it is an introduction between our guardian spirit and the new member of our family. I've only seen it once myself, with my nephew, Ran. I remember my brother, Isamu, kneeling down in front of Ran and placing the hilt of his sword in Ran's tiny hands. I was a scared at first when I saw a wave of white-hot fire burst out from the sword to envelope my tiny nephew."

"I would have jumped in to try to help him," Hideaki smiled at the shocked faces of the boys, "but the strangest thing happened. I saw that Ran was not afraid and I could hear his bell-like laughter over the crackling flames. It was like he had found a new friend and they were getting to know each other, just playing happily together."

"But it was different with Kai," Takao interrupted. "It was like he was being hurt by the fire. I certainly didn't see anything playful about it!"

"He's right," Max nodded, "Is there another possibility? Some sort of attack that might have caused that effect on Kai?"

"There is an attack similar to what we saw, but it couldn't be that. I've never seen it myself, but I did hear stories from my grandfather. The last time there was anything like that was in his generation."

"Do you remember how I told you the phoenix would kill anyone who was unworthy?" Hideaki directed the question at Rei and continued after Rei nodded slowly to him. "Before my grandfather married my grandmother, he was engaged to another woman. She was the most beautiful woman in town, as my grandfather tells the story. She came from a wealthy and renowned family and appeared to be sweet-natured and pure-hearted. After knowing each other for only three months, their families arranged their engagement.

"Like anyone in love, he wanted to learn everything about his beloved and share everything about himself with her. He told her about our guardian spirit and our long partnership with the immortal phoenix. He even demonstrated the phoenix's power for her in secret one night. I'm not sure if she changed after seeing its power or if she always had a seed of darkness in her heart, but one night Kuraiko tried to steal the phoenix. The entire household was awakened by her screams. It seems the phoenix saw into her heart and deemed her unworthy of its protection and friendship. It defended itself from her attempt at theft by releasing its flames. Grandfather arrived in time to save her from the fire, but she carried the scars from it on her right hand and arm. The engagement was canceled by our family and she left the town shortly thereafter. So you see, the phoenix can call fire to defend itself, but since your friend was not injured, I don't think that's it."

"Besides, there is another reason I believe it was the Hisaki no Unmei," Hideaki continued as the boys tried to absorb everything he was telling them. "The Houo family is purely Japanese. That means that like all Japanese people, we are born with black hair and black eyes."

"Wait a minute," Rei interrupted, staring at Hideaki's bright, scarlet eyes. "How is that possible? Your eyes and your brother's eyes are crimson."

"Yes, you're right, Rei," Hideaki smiled, his eyes shining mischievously, "but they haven't always been."

"You guys wear contacts?" Takao asked, it was the first thing that popped into his head.

"No, "the crimson eyes sparkled with laughter, "It is a side effect, so to speak, of our bond with the phoenix. After the Hisaki no Unmei, we are bound in a relationship of love and trust with our guardian spirit. It varies from child to child, but within a few days of the ceremony our eyes gradually change as the bond strengthens. Ran's eyes were a deep crimson by the fourth day after he bonded with Zephyr. My brother told me that mine took over a week to change after my own bonding with Zephyr, but I think he just likes to tease me. This bond remains with all of us, whether we become partners with the phoenix or not."

Rei's eyes widened at the implication to Hideaki's explanation. He could see growing understanding in Max's face, but Takao still looked pretty confused. Kenny wasn't even looking at them, but had his head buried in his laptop, typing away furiously.

"But, Kai's eyes have always been red," Takao informed Hideaki. "You just didn't see them until after the fight."

"No, Takao," Max interjected, "Remember? His eyes were blue when he started the battle."

"That's because that bastard did something to him," the bluenette staunchly defended his friend. "That wasn't really him."

Rei knew better. Takao was almost right when he said that Kai's eyes had always been red. Rei knew that a more truthful statement would be that they had been red for as long as the 'Breakers had known him. Thanks to Dranzer, Rei had seen Kai before he ever met the BladeBreakers, before he had even come to Japan. He had watched as a younger Kai with dark, steel-colored eyes had confronted both his mother and his grandfather in the old, Russian abbey. He had also witnessed the birth of the crimson flames in Kai's eyes as Kai fought back against his grandfather's abuse. Rei knew that Hideaki was right, Kai had endured the Hisaki no Unmei, but what Hideaki didn't realize was that it had happened almost three years ago.

Rei's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Looking up, he saw a middle-aged gentleman in a white coat and glasses staring at them with a serious frown on his face.

"Are you the ones who are with the injured boy, Kai?"

"Yes, that's us!"

"How is he?"

"Is he alright? Can we see him?"

Takao, Rei, and Max were out of their seats and surrounding the doctor before he had time to blink. Kenny stayed where he was, but closed Dizzi so he could hear everything. Hideaki also remained seated, listening intently to hear anything the doctor could tell them.

"Please, sit down," the doctor waved them back to their seats and took one for himself. "First off, I have a few questions for you."

Reluctantly, they returned to their seats and tried not to show their agitation at having to wait for the man to tell them about Kai.

"Are any of you related to the patient?"

"No." When no one else spoke, Rei decided to act as the spokesperson for the team. "He doesn't really have any family."

"Well, I'm afraid I can't give out patient information to anyone besides family members."

Takao immediately took exception to that statement and leapt to his feet again.

"What do you mean, you can't tell us anything?! We're the only family he has."

"It's hospital policy," the doctor seemed to be getting irritated with Takao's loud protests. "It's for patient privacy."

"Please," Rei pleaded, "he is family to us. Besides, Kai really doesn't have anyone else. The only relative he has is his grandfather, and he's the one who hurt Kai."

The doctor's expression softened at Rei's words and Rei could see that he wanted to tell them more, but wasn't sure if he should.

"There are a lot of concerns that have come up with his case. Could you tell me what you know about how he was injured? Maybe if I knew more, I might be able to tell you something."

"We're not sure of everything that happened to him," Rei began. "We were staying in a hotel together about 3 weeks ago in Russia when me and Kai were attacked in our room. They knocked me out and when I woke up later in the hospital, I found out that Kai had been kidnapped."

"Max and I tried to help them," Takao added helpfully, "but we couldn't get to them."

"He was kidnapped three weeks ago?" The doctor's frown deepened. "Why did it take so long for the police catch the kidnappers?"

"Well, you see, the police haven't caught the kidnappers. There was a big fire and everyone thought that Kai was dead, so no one was looking for him. But we found out he was still alive and that his grandfather had taken him. We tracked him down to this city and just found him today. But when we finally freed him, he suddenly passed out."

Rei knew he was leaving a lot out, but he wasn't sure how much the doctor would believe. Besides the fact that their bit beasts had helped them find and free Kai wasn't really relevant to his current health issues.

"His grandfather is the one who took him?" the doctor was very interested in that detail. "You also mentioned that his grandfather is his only living relative. Was he raised by his grandfather?"

"Yes, I think so. Kai's mother was very young when she had him, so I think that his grandfather took over raising him."

The doctor didn't ask anymore questions after that, but sat deep in thought. Rei kept his own questions to himself, he didn't want to antagonize the doctor and possible prevent them from finding out anything about Kai. Looking over at Takao and Max, he could see that they had both come to the same decision. He didn't need to even glance at Kenny to know that the smaller brunette was quietly dividing his attention between the doctor and Dizzi. Looking at Hideaki, Rei was surprised to see the look of absolute shock on his face. Rei realized that he hadn't really told him much about Kai, other than the fact that he was their team mate and that they were looking for him. He realized that the crimson eyed man had probably not had even an inkling of the situation he had found himself in.

"I was hoping you could tell me something that would make sense of his injuries. But from what I've heard, I don't think that is possible. It's all senseless," the doctor sighed heavily and rubbed wearily at his temples. "I must say, this is truly the most horrifying case I've ever been a part of. However, everything you've told me matches with what we've found,"

"Matches?" Rei felt his stomach knot in anxiety at the doctor's words. "What does that mean? Please, tell us how he is."

"Alright, I believe you are telling the truth," the doctor finally made up his mind. "Your friend, Kai, is in critical condition."

"Critical condition?" Takao asked, a worried frown on his face.

"He didn't seem that bad off when we found him," Max added, "other than passing out, I mean."

"I understand your confusion. When your friend arrived here, I was the doctor that first assessed him. I didn't think he was hurt too badly myself, until we began undressing him to fully assess him for injuries The amount and severity of the injuries were horrifying."

"What injuries?" Rei asked cautiously. He didn't want to know, but at the same time, he had to know.

_We tried so hard to find him. What if it was useless? Were we too late?_

"Well," the doctor hesitated, trying to decide where to begin, "First off, there are numerous bruises and cuts. Judging from the patterning and various stages of healing, they came from an assortment of objects and happened over an extended period of time, we had estimated 3-4 weeks. There are severe wounds around both his wrists and ankles that are consistent with those that are made from restraints. We noted several long gashes on his arms and legs that appear to have been made by some sort of wire. Among the various cuts on his torso, we found several long, almost surgically precise lacerations running along his chest. It almost looked like someone had tried to take off strips of his skin."

Rei covered his mouth in horror, his eyes wide as he listed to the doctor continue to describe Kai's injuries. He would have thought that the doctor was heartless, with the dispassionate way he was describing the wounds of his patient, except for the wet eyes the doctor couldn't hide behind his glasses.

"From the severity of his external injuries, we decided to do further tests. We found several fractured ribs, a recently dislocated and repaired left shoulder, signs of internal bleeding, and a partially collapsed left lung. It appears one of his fractured ribs tore a small hole in the lining around his lungs allowing a small amount of blood to pool around his lung. Thankfully, it was a small tear and so it has already healed on its own, we only have to wait for his body to reabsorb the fluid around his lung. The sheer amount of damage to someone so young is unbelievable."

"B...but…," Takao stuttered, he was having trouble accepting the doctor's words. "I know Kai is strong, but to endure all that. How is that possible?"

"That's probably the most disturbing part of this," the doctor frowned deeply. "There is evidence that he was taken care of medically at the same time."

"Taken care of medically?" Kenny was concerned about the odd choice of words.

"Yes," the doctor continued, "His more serious wounds were cleaned and sutured closed. But some of the sutures had been torn and replaced, which would indicate he was hurt, treated, and then hurt again. There are also marks on both his arms that indicate that he received IV medications and fluids while he was held. To all appearances, this child has been severely tortured and healed only enough to be tortured some more."

Rei felt his horror grow as he listened to the doctor describe Kai's injuries and his theory of what had occurred. It was too horrible to comprehend. He had seen Kai standing in the clearing. He had seemed alright then, if a little pale. Rei had allowed himself to feel relief that his friend had not been hurt too badly. But now, he knew he was wrong. While he and the others had thought he was dead and abandoned him, Kai had been tortured by his own grandfather. It was no excuse to Rei that they had searched for Kai as soon as they had learned he was still alive. Every moment Kai had been separated from them had probably been hell for him and Rei couldn't help but blame himself for it. Burying his face in his hands, Rei felt a liquid warmth in his hands. Vaguely, he wondered how long he had been crying.

"And from all appearances, this is not the first time this boy has endured such treatment."

"What?" Hideaki finally found his tongue after being struck speechless in horror at the doctor's words. "Who in their right mind would do that to a child?! How could anyone let this happen to someone once, let alone repeatedly?"

"I know how you feel," the doctor looked a little sick from recalling all the injuries and scars on Kai's body. "I have never seen anything like it, but it's true. Whenever there is a possibility of child abuse, we do a full body scan. I haven't even finished writing my report of his injuries yet, there were just too many. He has had over 36 different broken bones. There are countless old scars decorating his body, with an odd concentration of very thin ones around his neck, maybe caused by some sort of wire. A healed wound over his left shoulder where it appears he had been shot. Those are just the most pronounced injuries. Plus there is the large tattoo that was placed on him, maybe three or four years ago. While it is spectacular, it is not something that a young child would choose to do to himself, it must have taken hours to apply it."

"Is he going to be alright?" Rei valiantly tried to pull himself back together. His team mates were all in similar situations. Max and Takao were hugging each other for comfort, while Kenny took refuge in hugging his laptop.

"We're not sure," the doctor removed his glasses to wipe his own eyes. "We have three major problems to contend with. First, he is severely malnourished and dehydrated. His body is very weak from lack of nutritional support. Secondly, he was injected with various drugs. We've tested his blood, but can't identify what was given to him. Since they are unknown, we don't know what effects they will have on his body, how long they will stay in his system, or if they will cause reactions with the medications we give him. The last thing is very confusing. When we did X-rays, we found something very odd."

The doctor stood and pulled an X-ray out of a large folder. Placing it on a small box on the wall, he flipped a switch and the X-ray showed up in sharp relief against the sudden bright light from the box.

"This is a picture of his chest. The bones show in white, the air in his lungs show as black. The denser an object, the whiter it shows up."

"What's that?" Kenny pointed quickly to a solid, white form on the screen. "It looks like a claw or something."

"That's the last problem. It is made of some sort of metal. It was inserted into his chest right above his sternum. We're not sure of its purpose, it doesn't seem to do anything, but we can't remove it."

"Why not?" Takao stared intently at the X-ray. "It can't be there for anything good, not if his grandfather did it. You should take it out. Now."

"Believe me, I would remove it if I thought I could do it safely. You can see the curve as it narrows to a point. We think it is quite a sharp edge there, and it is placed so that the point is directly at the spot where the heart branches into the aorta, which is the major artery coming off of the heart. If we try to remove this thing, it could puncture or tear at his heart and aorta. He would die before we could do anything to save him."

"What the hell did they do to the kid?" Hideaki muttered softly to no one in particular. He was growing more disturbed by each bit of information he heard.

"We are doing everything we can for him," the doctor tried to smile reassuringly. "He is being moved to the Intensive Care Unit as we speak. I have already arranged for a guard to be put on his door since we didn't know who had caused the injuries. If you wait a minute, I'll call upstairs to inform the staff that you are allowed to see him, then you can go up."

"Thank you, Doctor," the four boys said in unison.

They all sat silently as the doctor picked up a nearby phone and placed his call. They listened eagerly to his conversation when he spoke to whoever was on the line with him.

"Yes…I see, that's good news. Uh-huh. I'll inform the police. He has some visitors. They'll be coming up to see him, so please inform the guard to let them by. It's a man with four boys…yes, I'll be around later this evening. Thanks, Yukiko"

Hanging up, the doctor gave them his first genuine smile.

"He's on the second floor, bed 10. I'm sure you'll feel better after you see him."

Max and Takao were out the door with a thank you over their shoulders as they passed the doctor. Kenny actually paused to give his thanks before following his friends. Rei stopped to give the doctor a deep bow and a heartfelt thanks. He knew that his friend's life had been, and in a way still was, in this man's hands.

"Thank you for your efforts for our friend."

Rei remained in his respectful position until he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Rei," Hideaki said comfortingly, "Let's go see your friend."

With a last bow, Rei quickly left the room with Hideaki. They found Max, Takao, and Kenny waiting for them in the elevator. Takao was bouncing impatiently as he waited for them.

"Hurry up. Hurry up!"

Rei stepped in and turned to see the doors close behind him, he could feel the excitement from his friends as they rode the elevator up. It wouldn't be long and they would see Kai. It wouldn't be long until the team was together again.

When the elevator stopped, Rei let himself be carried along with Max and Takao's energy. The ICU was easy to find and they were greeted at the front desk by a smiling secretary.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, we wanted to see our friend, Kai," Takao answered her.

"Ah, yes, Doctor Shin told us to expect you. If you go down this hall, you'll find him in Bed 10."

"Thank you," Rei was left to thank the woman since his friends had already moved on.

Thankfully, they didn't have to go far. Kai's room was easily found, it was marked by a tall man is a dark blue suit. Looking down at the boys before him, the man gave a small smile and held his hand up calmly.

"I already know, you're looking for your friend, Kai, ne? You'll have to wait a bit, the nurse needs a few minutes with him."

Rei nodded patiently, a few minutes wouldn't change anything, but he wanted to see Kai immediately. Takao was less patient; he was currently pacing back and forth in front of the guard. Rei was worried he was trying to think of a why to get past the tall man. Before Takao could do anything stupid, a slender, young woman came up to the door. She was carrying a small bundle of light blue cloth. The tall guard opened the door for her with a shy smile.

"Thanks, Ken-san. I had to get some scrubs, he refuses to wear the gown." she said with a sweet laugh before turning to the small crowd gathered in front of the door. "You all must be Kai-kun's friends. If you give me a minute, I'll let you in to see him. I just want to get him presentable."

With a small bow, she gave them a reassuring smile and entered the room. The guard, Ken, closed the door behind her and stepped in front of it with his arms crossed. Through the thin door, they could hear the young nurse's voice.

"I know, I know. You can do this yourself. However, you have friends that are anxious to see you and I don't think they are patient enough to wait the hour it would take you to do this on your own. Now, work with me here and I'll be done in a minute."

There was no answer to the woman's comments and the 'Breakers all looked at each other, curious at her one-sided conversation. It was about five minutes later that she opened the door again. She smiled at each of them and spoke quietly.

"Seeing how stubborn your friend is, I think he'll make a full recovery," she laughed softly. "You can go in and see him now, just try not to get him excited. If you need anything, just press the call bell and I'll come right back."

"Take care of him, Ken-san," she said quietly to the guard before leaving.

"You can count on me, Yukiko-san."

All four boys stood hesitantly before the open door, anxious to go in and, at the same time, reluctant to face their injured friend. Each of them had their own feelings of guilt over what they had learned downstairs.

"You heard the nurse," the guard smiled as he shooed them into the room. "Call if you need anything, I'm right outside."

With the guard moving ushering them from behind, they found themselves in Kai's room with the door firmly shut behind them. Hideaki stayed near the door as the boys quietly approached the bed.

Kai lay unmoving on the hospital bed. The covers were pushed back and they could see that he was clad only in a pair of pale blue scrub pants. His chest, arms, and neck were covered with various white bandages. A tall, yellow bag of fluid and smaller clear bag were attached to him by long lines that entered his skin at his right upper chest. Rei was surprised to see how quiet the room was, he had always thought that there would be beeping and mechanical sounds. But, although there were machines all around Kai that were attached to him and showed his vital signs, none of the equipment made any sounds.

Trying not to break the silence and disturb Kai, the four boys tip-toed over to surround the bed. All four leaned over Kai's still form, trying to get a closer look at their friend. As one, they leapt back in surprise when his crimson eyes opened.

"Long time, no see," Kai's voice was dead-pan as he looked into the eyes of his friends.

Tears flowed from all of Kai's friends' eyes as they laughed with relief. They gathered as close to the bed as they could, reaching out to touch Kai cautiously. They wanted to hug him, but were desperate not to hurt him at all. Kai allowed a small smile to grace his lips as saw his friends concern.

Kai noticed an area of silence in the room and found his eyes pulled to the door where he saw a serious, crimson eyed man staring intently at him.

"Who are you?"

--------tbc

Well, not up to par with my usual cliff hangers, but I guess I have to give you guys a breather sometime. Otherwise, I might find that all my readers have died of heart attacks ;P

J Want to hear a coincidence? Too bad if you don't ;P I found an interesting website that is a quiz that tells you what mythical creature you are based on your answers to their questions. Guess what I am ;) A PHOENIX!!! I knew Kai and I were meant to be together _laughs_ I quoted the site below (It has a cool pic of a phoenix too, but I can't put that here. The website for the quiz is also below in case anyone wants to find out what kind of creature they are.

'You are Form 0, **Phoenix**: The Eternal. _"And The __Phoenix__'s cycle had reached zenith, so he consumed himself in fire. He emerged from his own ashes, to be forever immortal."_ Some examples of the Phoenix Form are Quetzalcoatl (Aztec), Shiva (Indian), and Ra-Atum (Egyptian). The Phoenix is associated with the concept of life, the number 0, and the element of fire. His sign is the eclipsed sun. As a member of Form 0, you are a determined individual. You tend to keep your sense of optimism, even through tough times and have a positive outlook on most situations. You have a way of looking at going through life as a journey that you can constantly learn from. Phoenixes are the best friends to have because they cheer people up easily.'

I can't type in the address, so after the http and slashes (the slashes and symbols make it not show up). But if you are interested, type quizilla (dot) com (slash) users (slash) donarepa (slash) quizzes (slash) Which%20Mythological%20Form%20Are%20You%3F/

(doesn't the description sound like Ran?)

Cool, ne?

**Special Thanks to:**

**MasterFranny:** _laughs _Thanks for the great review. I'm so glad that you liked Ran. I miss him too. You're not the only one who has asked for more with him and Kai. It got me thinking. I may end up with a one-shot, side story about the two of them. I won't resurrect him, but there is no reason not to share some of their time together as kids. Might be interesting. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Ja ne!

**Vampyre Neko: **I'm glad I've gotten you interested in all the subplots to my story. You'll just have to stick around to see what kind of meeting Kai and his unknown father have ;P

**HimekoSukie: **Ran is definitely a fav of mine. I didn't know he would grow to be loved so much, I'm so proud of him J I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you hoped to

**Droopy1389: **_sighs and gets out the first aid kit _If you play with fire, you have to expect to get burned. I hope you like the half-dressed Kai as much as you liked the tightly clothed Kai ;P And don't complain that I kill _everyone _until I kill Kai _Capice__?(hope I spelled that right)_

**Artemis347:** I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm sorry to say, I'm glad it made you sad, too. I wanted to share Kai's sorrow with you. I only hope you can take comfort in the idea that those who love us are never truly gone ;) Keep reading to find out about Ran's bit beast

**LaDiNi**_smiles _Sorry, I know you wanted Ran to live, but his death was necessary. You are correct on the timeline. This was the last straw that triggered Kai's defiance. As for the bit beast, you'll have to stick around. It's all there I promise. The end is ever closer.

**Fire-Imp-666: **_laughs_ or maybe I should say _cackles _(evil cackles, ne?) Well, I can't please everyone. I keep having people complain my chapters are too short _laughs_ Now they are too long. Oh well, they are as long or short as necessary ;P I don't really like killing people, but some deaths were unavoidable for my plot. It's nice that people are feeling an emotional impact from the deaths, though. I wasn't sure if anyone would, seeing as I haven't killed a prominent, original character yet (Bryan doesn't count.). I hope you continue to enjoy my story.

**Sami****-sama n Riece-chan:** two for one? _Giggles_ Glad you enjoyed. Stay with me. J

**Gillian Sillis: **_Stands in direct path _Hug me!! Hug me!! _giggles__ C_ouldn't resist. Don't worry about being too persistent, it is flattering to get the little nudges to update. I'm thrilled you like the ice cage and incading flames. I really liked that part too J As for Ran, would it help if I say he's not completely gone (but you knew that, ne?). Thanks for the sun. See, I don't always take forever ;P

**Umi**Great, now I'm being stoned _laughs _Glad you liked the last chapter. You should learn by now that all of my chapters will leave you wondering where the rest is. Hopefully, they will, up until the last chapter. I'm also very happy to hear you like my other story. I'm just warming up with it. The next few chapters will be much more angst filled. Hope you continue to enjoy both stories.

**Ellen: **_giggles _Let me guess, you had an image of 'Mikki Mouse'? _laughs_ I didn't think that chapter was exactly grim, but this one might be. Now, let me ask you. Did you catch all the clues in this chapter? Pay attention ;P

**Syaoran****-Lover:** Are you dead yet? _O.O_ Hope you liked this chapter. It had the conclusion to the flames just as you requested. I'm glad you liked that line. It was a heavy one, but had all the emotion that I wanted. I know the flashbacks are a bit long at times, but they are necessary to explain what happened. Don't you want all the mysteries solved? Sorry for all the pronouns (I don't think I mixed them up, but oh well) I just don't like repeating names each time _laughs_ I hope this chapter was less confusing. No stay put, and alive, I'm coming to the end.

**Midnight**** Insanity: **_smiles happily _I like subtlety, can't you tell. I'm pretty proud of the Ran, Zephyr thing myself ;) It is definitely fun to take the path with the characters, you get a much stronger emotional impact from it. I hope the next chapter also doesn't disappoint. Catch next chappie!!

**Jae**So glad to have you back _huggles_I understand completely how frustrating computer issues can be. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. That line is very dear to my heart. I do tend to put pieces of myself into my characters and that is something I struggle with. I won't always take care of myself, but I won't let anyone mess with those I care about. It's a fault I'm willing to live with. Kai is getting close to the end of his struggles (at least in this story) I hope you stay put as the angst climbs toward the final chapter J

**Starfiredevil**I'm happy you found my story. I'm definitely having fun writing it. As for your question. Gavriil and Hideaki aren't the same, but Gavriil and Hedeon are ;) Stay put, more answers coming your way.

**CharmedBookworm**_swings CB into an impromptu dance _I updated, I updated! Happy now? And you didn't even have to threaten bodily harm or death ;P

**Bffimagine**Stick around, more to come.

**Fey Phantom:** Thanks for the high praise, I love hiding clues in my writing, and I love that you appreciate it J I'm a little sad myself that this story is coming to an end. I didn't expect it to get so big and involved, and I'm so happy with how it's turning out. Keep an eye out for me, I will try to continue finding inspiration to keep me posting. _Laughs _And I understand what you mean about chlorine content, I'm a bit low myself. I did find a very nice little cove to swim int. There's no one else around, so I have it all to myself J GRevs coming s here soon too, I just hope they don't cut out all the good angsty stuff. Droopy1389 gave me a good website with pics if you don't mind some spoilers (enjoy)

**Shinigami's**** Voice: **If you love long chapters, then this one must have pleased you ;PI hope you got some sleep, you did sound a bit…high? _Laughs _I'm trying hard to keep going, I've been working on this for about a year. I'm flabbergasted (cool, I always wanted to use that word ;P) _dances happily_ I'm so glad I got to introduce another person to the beauty that is Sasuke (isn't he a babe?) _laughs _If you need help moving that concrete block that has you pinned, just let me know. I am dying to see you continue with your story. Pretty please _big, watery chibi eyes _I'll even lend you my Sasuke plushie O.O T.T Hope you enjoyed, see ya next chappie?

Wow, that one went quickly. I think I'm writing longer chapters so the reviewer thanks doesn't take up the whole chapter _laughs _Thanks again to all who have been giving me encouragement. Please stay tuned for the next chapter.

I'm trying to alternate chapters between this and my other, newer, story so that no one has to wait too long. Please be patient with me, I'll hurry as much as I'm able to.

Don't forget to leave a little light I deserve it, ne? I did let Kai have a little this chapter ;) The next chapter will be **Never.**


	27. Never

**Disclaimer: **Once again, I do not own anime, song, or any bishonen. Anyone else getting tired of hearing that?

**Warning: **None. Yep, you heard me. No blood, no torture. Just time to start spilling info.

**Author's Note: **I was starting to wonder if the chapter name was a bit of a prophecy. Anyone else wonder if I was never going to update? Truth of the matter was, I got to 20 pages and still hadn't covered everything I meant to. So this means…this is a long chapter, but I cut it off sooner than I wanted to. Therefore, so you don't die of old age, I am cutting this plot point into two chapters. This means that there isn't much action in this chapter, but plenty of info. The 'Breakers sort of needed a bit of time to understand everything they have been going through. Hope it's not too slow. You'll see by the ending that it will begin to pick up again next chapter.

Enough rambling…on with the show!****

**World So Cold**

**Chapter XXVII: Never**

"Who are you?"

The happy, chattering voices in the room stilled at Kai's question. Rei looked back and forth between the two crimson eyed males watching them as they studied each other. It was only then that he realized that, despite how intertwined the two's families were, these two had never actually met.

"Kai," Rei said, stepping back to gesture at the tall man, "This is Houo Hideaki, he helped us when we were looking for you and protected us against that strange guy with the burns on his face."

Hideaki bowed slightly at the introduction, but his eyes never left those of the boy lying in the hospital bed. It was Max that broke the silent intensity between them when he gently tugged at Kai's pant leg to get his attention.

"We're so sorry, Kai," Max's blue eyes were downcast. "We took too long to find you. We should have started looking right away, but we…we thought you were dead."

"I know," Kai's fierce eyes softened as he turned to look at the sorrowful blonde. "Grandfather told me."

"Who was it?" Takao asked with morbid curiosity. "We only knew it wasn't you."

"It was Bryan," Kai turning his head away, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes. He still felt the guilt lying heavily on his shoulders at the memory of yet another death that he had caused.

"From the Demolition Boys?" Takao's eyes went wide with surprise.

"Wow, the DBs were Voltaire's team. I can't believe he would kill one of his own boys."

"I don't think that that fact was all that important to him, Kenny," Kai stated flatly.

"I guess you're right," Kenny blushed as he recalled the list of injuries that Kai had suffered at his grandfather's hands.

"So what happened to you, Kai?" Takao's voice carried his concern.

Kai was silent for a moment, scanning the faces of each friend in turn. He was not used to having anyone show him concern.

_…not since Ran…_

"Grandfather wanted me to use Black Dranzer again for him. I told him 'no' and he didn't like that answer so he decided to…persuade me."

Even though Kai had made the decision back in Russia that he might be able to be friends with the other boys, he was not in the habit of opening up. The other boys had crowded closer at his words and were now hanging breathlessly waiting for him to continue. It took a minute for them to realize that he had said all that he was planning on saying.

"That's it?" Takao asked pushing his face closer until he was almost nose to nose with Kai.

"That's it," Kai relaxed back against the bed and closed his eyes. He was too weak to physically get up and leave the prying concerns of his team mates so this was his only escape.

Takao was not satisfied with Kai's answer and was ready to fire off more questions, but Rei caught his eye and silently shook his head.

_Kai's been through enough. Getting a blow-by-blow description from him isn't going to do him any good. He'll talk when he's ready. Besides, just hearing about the injuries was bad enough, I don't know if I could stand to hear how each one happened._

Takao reluctantly agreed, stepping back from the bed and taking a deep breath. Max and Kenny saw the exchange and decided to follow Rei's lead.

"Aren't you going to ask how we found you?" Takao asked, eager to tell Kai what happened since Kai seemed so reluctant to talk.

"I imagine," Kai drawled, "that Kenny used Dizzi."

"Ah, yeah, that's right," Takao sighed in defeat. _Geez, he could have at least asked. Let us tell our side of the story._

"Kenny was great," Max smiled encouragingly at the smaller brunette. "He found out that there was a tournament being sponsored in this area and that the sponsor was a company called Tech Aire. We just knew that it had to be Voltaire, so we came here to find you. He and Dizzi found out so much stuff. We know everything about your mother and your grandmother. How you spent time in that house."

Kai stiffened in the bed as Max started to recite the pieces of his life that his team mates had gathered together. In a strange way, it felt like a violation. It may have been a while before Kai trusted them with his past, but he would have liked the opportunity to choose what he shared with them. Maybe he never would have, but he just might have opened up to them. Now it seemed he had no control over what his team mates knew. And if there was anything Kai hated, it was losing control.

Rei saw Kai's muscles stiffen as Max continued talking. Even though the crimson eyes remained hidden, he could tell that Kai was uncomfortable with their knowledge.

"I'm sorry, Kai," Rei spoke entreatingly, "We didn't mean to invade your privacy, but we had to find you. No matter what. Besides, I promised I'd help you."

The last sentence was almost too soft to be heard.

_Rei's right. I don't like it, but they needed information and that was the only way._

Kai forced his hands to unclench and took a couple slow breaths. It wasn't his friends' fault that he had been taken. They had done everything they could to help him. Keeping this in mind, Kai forced his body to relax and opened his eyes to see his friends' concerned faces.

"We don't know everything" Kenny spoke up hesitantly. "We know names and places, but we don't know what happened. I think that there is a lot more going on here than we know. Maybe we could figure it out together?"

"No, I don't feel like talking about it," Kai stated. He felt overwhelmed by the unexpected knowledge they had about him. He needed time to become accustomed to it before he felt comfortable adding to that knowledge. "Not right now."

"Then, perhaps instead you could answer some of my questions," Hideaki spoke for the first time since entering the room.

Kai's eyes narrowed at the challenge he heard in the tall man's voice. Rei stepped towards Hideaki, breaking the connection between the crimson eyes. He knew what the young man wanted to ask Kai, but was anxious about wearing Kai out. After all, the nurse had told them not to let him get too excited.

"Houo-san, I don't think that now's a good time. We should let Kai rest."

"No, Rei," Kai struggled to sit up in the hospital bed, his face twisted in a grimace of pain. "I'll answer his questions."

_From what you say, Rei, I owe this guy a debt. You guys could have been hurt because of me. Rei mentioned a man with burns…that had to be Hedeon, that bastard. I know that the 'Breakers couldn't have stood up to him alone. _

_Besides…he reminds me of Ran…sort of a grown up version of him…_

Hideaki watched as the injured boy tried to shift into a sitting position. He wasn't having much luck. His wrists had thick bandages encircling them and they seemed too weak to support his weight as he tried to push himself up. His four friends hovered around him, trying to help him while he growled at them to leave him alone. Finally, after several muttered curses and multiple attempts to shake off the help, Kai succumbed to their assistance and found himself sitting propped up by three pillows.

The crimson eyed man kept his face neutral through it all, but he felt so many conflicting emotions as he watched. Before him was the boy that held all the answers, a boy that might be responsible for everything. But instead of feeling angry, Hideaki couldn't help but feel sympathy for the boy.

_I never expected this. I thought it would be easier to do this, just interrogate the person responsible. I never imagined that he might be a victim, too. He's been hurt so badly, but he still has such pride. He's strong-willed, determined to take care of himself. And yet, despite his need to be self-sufficient, he seems to have made some very faithful friends. _

Even with the admiration he felt for the deep strength of the injured boy, Hideaki was still determined to find out what had happened so long ago. He waited only long enough for the boy to settle back against the supporting cushions before he asked what he had been waiting so long to learn.

"What happened to Ran?" Hideaki asked, deciding a straightforward approach would be best.

"Ran?" Takao interrupted, "Who's Ran?"

"Shh, Takao," Rei answered for Hideaki, trying to make things easier on everyone. "Ran is Hideaki's nephew."

Kai's eyes shifted quickly from Rei to Hideaki at Rei's answer. _No wonder I thought he looked like Ran. _

"He's dead," Kai answered shortly, locking the emotions that threatened to drown him deep inside.

"Dead?" Hideaki's voice faltered, "How? Why?"

_Damn, I guess I deserve this. I wonder what he'll do to me._

"It was my fault. He died because…" Kai briefly looked away, focusing his attention for a moment on his blue blade sitting on the nightstand beside him before forcing himself to face Ran's Uncle, "He died because of me. Grandfather was angry with me and when he punished me in front of Ran, Ran tried to help me. I tried to tell him to run, but he wouldn't go. I don't know exactly what happened next, but when I woke up I searched for him. I found him in one of Grandfather's underground cells. Before I could free him, I was caught and thrown in with him. I would have done anything to help him, but he…he died in my arms in that dark place."

Sometime during the recitation, Kai's eyes had fallen shut. He felt himself reliving it all over again. He didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to even think about it, but he at least owed it to Ran to tell his family what had happened to him. If he hadn't lost his memory after the destruction of the abbey, he would have done it three years ago. It was too little, way too late, but it was all he could do for his friend now.

The other 'Breakers had listened intently throughout Kai's startling story, it wasn't like Kai to say so much and they held their collective breath so as not to disturb him. Max and Takao were a bit confused about what was going on because they had not heard anything about Ran before and so hadn't known why Hideaki was helping them. Kenny had already flipped on his laptop and the soft, rapid sound of his typing had become a steady undercurrent to Kai's words. Only Rei had a clue of the mystery that surrounded Kai and the Houo family.

Hideaki's eyes darkened at Kai's news. Intellectually, he had always known that Ran had to be dead. He knew Ran would never let his family suffer so long not knowing what had happened to him. But even though his head had always known, his heart was breaking because it had always carried the hope that Ran was still alive. Now that hope was gone.

"What was Ran to you?" Hideaki had learned what happened, but now he wanted to know if the boy in front of him deserved the blame.

Kai remained motionless, his eyes closed as he thought of his friend. It was hard to describe what Ran was to him. Kai had been too young when he had known him to be able to tell Ran what his friendship meant to himself. Children instinctively lived on their emotions, but they rarely stopped to try to understand them. In a way, Kai felt like he was finally telling Ran everything he had never had the chance to.

"Ran was my friend. The first, best, and only one I had. He was one of only two people I trusted in the entire world. To protect him, I would have done anything. And I would have happily died in his place. I loved him like a brother."

Kai felt drained by his confession, his voice becoming weaker as he spoke. Confessing his feelings had been much harder than fighting with Hedeon. His body lay limp against the cushions, his breaths coming in shorter pants as if he had just finished running.

Hideaki had listened closely to not just what Kai had said, but how he said it. He could feel the pain buried beneath the subdued voice. He had wanted to find someone to blame, someone to release his anger against, but he knew that the tortured boy before him did not deserve any more pain.

Rei was stunned at the honesty he heard in Kai's words. Kai never lied, but he had never talked so openly either. He had always deflected the conversation off what he didn't want to discuss, that or flatly refused to discuss it. It was also the first time he had heard Kai refer to someone as a friend. Rei understood a little more about Kai as he had listened.

_It's no wonder he pushes everyone away. He watched his only friend die in his arms. It probably hurt him so much, he decided to avoid the pain again by avoiding making friends. Kai seems so worldly, but he really hasn't experienced much. He has experienced all the bad, but almost none of the good. He doesn't understand that friendship doesn't always end in tragedy. I want to show him that we can be friends._

One of the machines attached to Kai began beeping insistently, interrupting Rei's thoughts. Looking at Kai, Rei noticed how tired he looked. He was lying limp against the pillows, panting softly with a faint sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead. Rei didn't have long to wonder what the alarm meant before the young nurse entered the room. All four boys leapt back away from the bed, trying to get out of her way. She gave them a quick smile of thanks before sweeping past them. In no time, she had hit a small button on one of the machines, halting its alarm, and came to Kai's side.

"Shh, Kai, it's alright," Reaching to the wall beside him, she adroitly grabbed a clear mask and, flicking on the oxygen, placed it over Kai's mouth and nose. "Everything's alright. Take some deep breaths with me, Kai. Yes, just like that. In…and out…in…out. Good. You're doing fine, Kai."

Yukiko held his hand gently as she talked soothingly to him. As her voice flowed through the room, Kai's breathing slowed down and his body relaxed into sleep. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the boy in the bed and the monitor over it. Satisfied with what she saw, she smiled and, with a little pat on his hand, released his hand to turn towards his anxious friends.

"He's alright," seeing their anxious faces, she spoke in the same soothing tones she had used with Kai. "His body is still very weak. His lungs still need time to heal as well. He just wore himself out and his injured lungs needed help. The mask will give him extra oxygen so his body doesn't suffer because his lungs are not working as well as they should."

"But he'll be alright," Takao practically begged for reassurance.

"We are doing everything we can. Kai-kun is a very strong child. He just needs time to heal and I think he will be just fine."

"Yukiko-san?" Rei spoke hesitantly, "I know the Doctor arranged for security to protect Kai, but is it possible that we could stay with him? I'd feel better if I knew one of us was with him."

"I think I can work something out," Yukiko smiled at Rei. "But I think you should limit the number of people here at a time. I don't want to get him over stimulated again. It might wear him out too much."

"Will one or two at a time be okay?" Kenny asked.

"That should be fine. Now I think we ought to let Kai-kun rest."

The four boys nodded at the subtle command in her voice. In a quick, whispered discussion they decided that Kenny would take the first watch. He had been the first to volunteer, stating he had too much to think about to be hungry or tired. Rei would have argued with him, but his stomach's loud growling betrayed him. With silent waves, the Rei, Takao, and Max left the room. Hideaki followed them into the hallway.

"If you boys like, you can stay at my house," Hideaki offered.

"Thank you, Houo-san, but we'd rather stay close by," Rei declined politely. "I'm going to change hotels so we are staying at the one across the street."

"I'll call Mr. D. to let him know about everything," Takao quickly volunteered.

"I'll go get our stuff from the other hotel," Max was eager to help as well.

"I understand," Hideaki nodded. "Max, if you like, I'll drive you to pick up your things and bring you back here."

"Thanks," Max smiled appreciatively, "It's a long walk."

Hideaki returned Max's smile and ushered the blonde ahead of him. He felt a little to blame for Kai's relapse, wondering if he had pushed too hard, too soon. Besides, there was more going on with these children then he originally had thought and he was determined to stick around to discover what it was.

"Let's all meet at the new hotel's dining room when we're done," Rei called out to the departing boys.

Taking their backward waves for agreement, Rei left to make arrangements.

------four days later-----

Rei yawned as he dragged himself out of bed. It was almost 6 am and if he didn't hurry he knew he'd be late. As it was, he would barely have enough time to hit the shower before he was supposed to meet Takao and Max downstairs.

Even though it had only been a few days, the 'Breakers had fallen into a routine of sorts. Since there were four of them, they had decided to take turns sitting with Kai, each taking 6 hours at a time. This way there would always be someone with Kai if he wanted to talk. Plus, it would let them feel more comfortable about his safety since they could watch out for him themselves. Right now, Kenny was with Kai.

_Poor Kai, I bet Kenny was typing away at his laptop all night. He definitely is focused on something. He's like a bloodhound tracking a scent. _

Each of the boys had found their own way to fill the time with Kai and their shifts were arranged with that in mind. Kenny took the late shift, staying with Kai from about midnight until breakfast. He could always be found sitting at the couch by the window, intent on his laptop. Kai never seemed to mind, though. He just took it as an opportunity to rest. When Takao sat with him, he got no rest. That was why Takao stayed with him between breakfast and lunch. The loud bluenette had decided to show Kai everything he had learned while Kai was missing. Several times, Takao had almost been chased from the room by nurses because of his loud shouts and overenthusiastic blading in Kai's room.

_He should be more careful. If Yukiko hadn't talked to the other nurses, he probably would have been kicked out of the hospital two days ago. _

Max took over after lunch and stayed until dinner time. Rei had been surprised to see how good a visitor Max had turned out to be. As hyperactive as the blonde could be, he was actually a soothing presence for their wounded team mate. Max always brought cards and a book with him when he visited Kai. When Kai was worn out from Takao's visit, Max would play cards by himself or just read and allow Kai to rest. But if Kai seemed to want company, they would play cards together. One time Rei came to relieve Max and found the blonde reading to a dozing Kai. It had been an unexpectedly tender scene, something Rei would never forget.

_Who knew Kai liked Harry Potter…_

Rei chuckled as he thought of how his friends showed their concern. He hoped Kai was a little more comfortable with opening up with them, because otherwise he was likely to feel smothered right about now.

Rushing through his morning preparations, Rei managed to get showered and dressed in a record five minutes. Anxious not to be late, he tied back his hair as he rode the elevator down to the hotel lobby. As usual, he was the first one there. He was about to call up to Takao and Max's room when they finally spilled out of the elevator and rushed over to him.

"Sorry, Rei," Max panted, pulling Takao after him. "You know how hard it is to get him out of bed."

Rei just grinned sympathetically as Takao groaned in protest. Takao mumbled something that Rei took to mean, 'I'm up, let's go.' With Takao walking between them, blearily rubbing his eyes, Rei and Max headed out of the hotel towards the hospital.

When they got to Kai's room, they found Kenny already outside it talking to the security guard. The guard was not anyone they had met before, but Rei had come to expect that. While the nurses stayed fairly constant, just Yukiko, Emiko, Ami, and a male nurse named Shuichi, the only constant about the security men were the fact that they all wore the same dark blue suits.

"You guys are late this morning," Kenny smiled as he saw them. "Ami's already inside with his breakfast."

"Sorry," Rei nodded politely to the guard as he answered Kenny. "You know how it is."

Kenny just laughed as he joined them. Together, the four of them headed down to the hospital cafeteria to get their own breakfast. The first day that Kai was in the hospital, Yukiko had let them eat with Kai in his room. But after she came back and found that Kai hadn't eaten anything, she made her own arrangements. Now with each 'changing of the guard,' as Takao put it, she, or one of the other nurses, would stay with Kai for an hour instead of the 'Breakers. Takao hadn't wanted to do it, but she had not listened to any arguments.

----flashback---

"Look," Yukiko had glared sternly down at Takao, "your friend, Kai-kun, is a very proud boy. He is more than willing to sit there and starve rather than admit he is too weak to feed himself. Now I won't let him do something that stupid, but it will be harder if he feels he looks weak in front of all of you. So here's what we're going to do. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, you will all leave him to me for an hour. I'll make sure he's eating and you guys can take a break. You'll also leave him to me for an hour in the evening. You guys may be close friends, but I don't think Kai needs you with him when he bathes. Got it?"

----end flashback----

_I thought Takao would have a nose bleed or something, he was blushing so hard. At least he didn't try to argue anymore with her. In the end, it turned out to really help us out. It's sometimes hard to discuss certain things in the same room as Kai. But with the nurses watching him, we have a bit of time to go over things by ourselves. Speaking of which…_

"How is he, Kenny?"

Kenny stalled for a bit, pretending to pick which small cereal box he wanted. The obvious stall soon brought Takao and Max's attention on him.

"Well," Kenny finally answered as he led them to their usual table, "He's not doing very well."

"What happened?" Takao leaned over the table, forgetting his food.

"He's back on oxygen."

Rei frowned at Kenny's news. Since the first day, Kai had been slowly weaned off of the oxygen. He hadn't needed it at all when Rei was with him on his last shift. Rei had thought that it meant Kai was getting stronger, but now he was worried.

"They've also started giving him more IV medications. The nurse came in several times last might to hang different bags."

For a few minutes none of the boys said anything, they just stared at their untouched food. Takao was the first to recover from the bad news. Shoveling his food into his mouth, he turned determined eyes on his friends.

"C'mon, guys, this is Kai we're talking about. He's a rock, an iron man. He's going to be fine!"

"Yeah," Max nodded quickly and attacked his own food. "You're right. He just needs a little time."

Kenny and Rei just exchanged silent looks before making their own attempts to eat breakfast. Thankfully, Takao and Max finished quickly so they didn't have to look at their own unappetizing food for too long. A quick glance at the clock let them know that it was almost seven. Quickly, they bused their trays and hurried back to Kai's room.

There was one final constant to their now routine day. Every morning at 7 am Hideaki would visit them. This was also when the doctor would make his morning rounds and tell them how Kai was doing. So far, things hadn't changed much from what the doctor had said the first night, but they eagerly awaited him each morning hoping for some good news.

This time when the 'Breakers reached the ICU, the secretary didn't let them pass. She instead directed them to a small room nearby that was labeled 'Family Conference Room.' Inside, they found the doctor and Hideaki already waiting for them.

"Thanks for coming," Rei said quietly to Hideaki as he sat down. Rei knew that the main reason the doctor continued to keep them informed was because Hideaki was there acting as a guardian for them and Kai.

"How is he, Doc?" Takao was the first to speak their concerns.

Doctor Shin looked around the room at their anxious faces. He was disheartened with the news he had and couldn't think of a good way to put it. In the end, he decided to just speak frankly. After all, false reassurances would only hurt in the end.

"I'm afraid he is not doing as well as we had hoped. I thought that with nutritional support, antibiotics, and a little time, he would begin to grow stronger and start healing. He should have. We've done everything we can, but he just isn't improving. But it's worse than that. Not only is he not getting better, he has actually grown weaker. It's as if all the effort we're giving him is being drained away from him, leaving him weaker than before. It just doesn't make any sense."

"Is there anything you can do?" Hideaki interjected, not willing to see the boys' hopes die so soon.

"We're going to continue to do everything we can. He's not eating as well, so we're increasing his nutrition through his IV. His breathing is also worse, so we have put him on oxygen. But if he continues to deteriorate, we will have to put him on a machine to help him breath. If we just knew what was causing him to get worse, maybe we could do something to fix it. But we don't have a clue. All we can do is treat his symptoms as they appear."

"Is there anything we can do?" Max asked, his eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Just do what you've been doing. Be there for him, he's going to need all the strength and support he can get. I'll check back on him later on this evening if you have any other questions."

Trying to give them a reassuring smile, the doctor stood and left the room to go check on his other patients.

"I know what we can do," Kenny said quietly from his seat. "We can talk to Kai. We need to find out what is really going on. Maybe then we'll figure out what's happening to him now."

"I think you're right," Rei nodded at Kenny's idea. "It's the only thing we can do right now."

"Maybe it's a good thing that Kai's so weak right now," Takao added as he followed them down the corridor to Kai's room, "Otherwise, he'd probably throw us out of his room."

"Well, I'm not leaving until I get some answers," Rei gave a brief nod to the guard before entering Kai's room.

As soon as the 'Breakers and Hideaki entered the room, they could feel a palpable change in the air. It was a lot like entering a library, you suddenly felt the need to talk in soft voices and move carefully. Kai was resting in bed with his eyes shut, a small thin tube rested under his nose giving him a boost of extra oxygen.

"Kai?" Rei's voice was hesitant, fearful of disturbing Kai, yet determined to try to get him to talk.

"Yes, Rei?" Kai's eyes remained closed, but his quick reply let them all know that he had not been sleeping.

"Kai, I understand you don't want to talk, but we have to," Rei wanted it to sound like an order, but it came out more like a plea.

"I know," Kai sighed. "Alright, talk. I'll tell you what I can."

Kai's crimson eyes opened and he watched as the others got themselves settled around the room. Max and Takao settled themselves on the couch by the window while Rei and Kenny took the chairs next to the bed. Hideaki stayed unobtrusively standing by the door. Kai had gotten used to seeing him visit in the morning, but the two hadn't spoken to each other since the first day.

"Well, why don't we start with what we know," Kenny said, opening up his laptop.

"Yeah, because that worked so well last time," Takao couldn't help but add.

"We found Kai, didn't we," Kenny defended himself.

"I think Kenny is right," Rei interrupted the fight before it began. "We should verify that what we learned is true. Is that okay with you, Kai?"

"Hn."

"Let's start with your family," taking Kai's answer as assent, Kenny began typing on his computer. It didn't take him long to pull up his neatly organized data. "Did you know that your family and Houo-san's family have some interesting connections?"

"No."

"What about you, Houo-san?" Kenny turned to Hideaki.

"What connections are you talking about?" Hideaki wanted to clarify Kenny's question before answering.

"Well, I found the story you told us about your grandfather's fiancé trying to steal the phoenix very intriguing. Do you know what happened to her after the engagement was broken off?"

"No, our family broke all ties with her family."

"From my research, I found out that Kai's great grandfather married a woman named Hiwatari Kuraiko. That was her last name, right?"

"Yes," Hideaki's eyes narrowed at the previously unknown fact. "That is a strange coincidence indeed."

"That's not the only coincidence," Rei added. "There is also Hotaru. Hideaki, you said she ran off, but did you know she married Voltaire, Kai's grandfather?"

Kai's eyes had been closed as he listened to the others talk, but at Rei's question he opened them to stare at Hideaki, waiting for his response.

"I didn't know she married him, but my uncle always blamed her leaving him on that family."

"She didn't leave him," Kai's voice was low and a bit breathless, but the others still heard him clearly.

"What?" Takao was confused. They had done their research after all and that was what they had learned.

"She didn't leave," Kai repeated wearily, "She was taken."

"How do you know this?" Hideaki's eyes burned intensely.

"Hedeon told me."

"Hedeon?" Rei asked, it was a name he hadn't heard before.

"You met him, Rei," Kai glanced up at his team mates, "He's the scarred bastard you met in the clearing."

"And you trust something he told you?" Takao asked incredulously.

"I've known him a long time. Since I was 5. He was Mother's lapdog. He never did like me. But he holds a bit of a grudge against me now. You see he didn't always look that way. He used to be a rather good looking blonde…until the fire at the abbey. I know how he thinks. He doesn't lie. He prefers to use the truth to hurt someone. It does more damage."

Kai spoke softly, using short fragments of sentences to explain things to the others. Even with the extra boost of oxygen, he was feeling more worn out then he felt he should. Kai didn't need the doctor to tell him he was getting worse, he felt it with every breathe he took and every word he spoke. That was the reason he had agreed to speak with his team mates now.

"Hedeon said that when my mother was born. Hotaru begged Grandfather to let he go. It seems he had taken her…in order to have a child."

"So what happened to her?" Max was curious to know what the real story was.

"Grandfather killed her. Raised my mother himself."

Everyone stared in shock at Kai's blunt statement. It definitely didn't match with what they had learned. Kai ignored their stares and relaxed back against the bed. He was so tired, but he felt he owed it to them to give them the answers they wanted. After all, it might not be too long before he couldn't give them any answers.

"And what about your mother and father?" Hideaki broke the silence with his question.

Takao, Max, and Kenny looked at Kai waiting for his answer, but Rei had his attention on Hideaki. That was not something he had expected him to ask. Kai's hand strayed to the bandages around his neck as he stared at Hideaki. He didn't really want to answer the question, it was a little too raw a scar for him. But he had made his decision to answer any questions, so he wasn't going to hide from one now.

"I didn't really know my mother well," Kai finally admitted to himself as he answered the question. "I didn't meet her until I was 5. And after that we only interacted sporadically…whenever she wanted to act like a mother. She died when I…she died when the abbey burned down. I never met my father. Grandfather probably killed him. Whoever he was."

Hideaki had noticed Kai's hand rubbing absently at his neck. He had also noticed that the strange silver locket was missing. _There are way too many coincidences here for my liking. I need to check out that locket, maybe it'll have the answers. Is it possible? Could he be _her _son? Could he be...?_

"Guys, we're missing the important question here," Takao was getting impatient. "The real question is, why is Voltaire so obsessed with using Kai?"

"Actually, Takao," Kai answered him wearily. "I think it all ties together. I didn't understand when I was younger…, but after Ran died it began to clear up for me. It's the phoenix. It's always been about the phoenix. Since he knew he couldn't take it himself…, he set things up so I would."

"The phoenix?" Hideaki's eyes narrowed. "You said Ran died, but what happened to the phoenix. Did you take it from him?"

"I'm not sure what happened. I think Ran's phoenix died with him. It was so strange. There were all these flames…everything was on fire…me, Ran, everything." Kai's eyes were unfocused, staring at something no one else could see, and for one fleeting moment a sad smile passed his lips. "I thought I was going to die. But I didn't. When it was over…, Ran and Zephyr were gone. There was just me and my blade. And my new bit beast, Dranzer."

Kai looked over to where his blue blade was resting sedately on the bedside table. Reaching out with a trembling hand, he picked up the blade and held it close.

"Grandfather tried to take Dranzer from me…, but Dranzer would have nothing to do with him," Kai smiled at the memory, but he was frowning when he continued. "That was when he began his experiments. That was what led to the creation of Black Dranzer."

"That was the black phoenix in the clearing?" Hideaki asked.

"Yes. I don't know why…Grandfather has always been so obsessed with the phoenix. But he is determined to use it…to control the world."

"But he can't use it, right?" Rei asked. "Dranzer told us that Black Dranzer is bonded to you and won't listen to him."

"What do you mean, 'Dranzer told you?'" Kai clutched Dranzer protectively to his chest.

The bond between Kai and Dranzer had always been something he cherished above almost everything. In his experience with Bit Beasts, he had learned that they never spoke with anyone who was not their chosen partner. The only exception he had ever found was Dizzi, but he had always assumed that was because she was trapped in the computer and she hadn't been able to fully bond with Kenny.

In the years that he had partnered to Dranzer, he had never even heard the phoenix call anyone else by name. Maybe it was foolish, or just selfish, but it had felt special to hear Dranzer call him 'Kai,' to know that the phoenix held only him so close to its heart and soul.

Rei had gotten used to reading the subdued emotions in Kai's eyes and voice. He saw immediately how much Kai was affected by his words.

_Oh shit. I should have seen that coming. I know we did everything we could to find Kai and help him, but he must feel so…violated, betrayed. We've torn his past to shreds trying to get the truth, but we didn't think of how us knowing about it would affect him. My bond with Driger is so precious to me, I can't imagine having someone casually mentioning that they had a bond of their own with him._

"When you disappeared, Kai," Rei tried to explain, "When we thought you were dead. We tried to fix Dranzer, but we couldn't. Kenny hooked Dranzer up to Dizzi to see what was wrong and that's when we found out you were alive. Dranzer was worried about you, he just wanted to do anything he could to help you, so he spoke to us through Dizzi."

Kai listened to Rei's explanation, his blade clutched tightly in his fists. He understood what Rei and the others had done. He knew that everyone had only done what they had to, but it didn't help the ache he felt in his heart. His knuckles showed white despite his best efforts to relax his fists. Closing his eyes, Kai bowed his head over his fist and concentrated on reaching his bit beast. He needn't have bothered concentrating though, Dranzer was only waiting for his attention.

_--Kai, I'm sorry that you are hurt, but I won't apologize for talking with your friends. It is as the little tiger said, you were hurt and you needed help so I had to do what I could to help them find you.--_

Kai felt his eyebrow arch in surprise at the complete lack of apology in the phoenix's apology. Of course, he shouldn't have been surprised, Dranzer could be just as stubborn as himself.

_So what exactly did you tell them? Don't tell me you actually called them my friends?_

_--And why wouldn't I? They are your friends.--_

As Kai let out a sigh that spoke of long suffering, the other 'Breakers just watched as he lay in silent commune with his bit beast. They couldn't quite figure out how the discussion was going because Kai kept most of his responses to Dranzer masked; a slight quirk of his lips, a twitch of his eyebrow, an almost inaudible sigh or grunt. It might have been amusing at a different time and in a different situation.

_So besides making outlandish assumptions about my relationship with the 'Breakers,_

_--your friends--_Dranzer interjected.

_Whatever. What else did you tell them?_

_--I told them about guardian spirits. About That man's perversion, Black Dranzer. And I told them that That man had hurt you.-_

_That's all?_ Suspicion clouded Kai's thoughts. _Surely that wasn't everything._

_--Well--_Dranzer hesitated _--The little tiger was concerned about you. We spoke away from the others…He just wanted to understand you better…I showed him the night you left the abbey.--_

_So he knows I killed my mother._

_--Kai, I--_

_Never mind, Dranzer. It doesn't matter. I should have told him anyways. It's alright. I'm alright. Just give me a little time to adjust to everything, okay?_

_--Alright, Kai, just remember, I'm here.--_

"It's alright, Rei," Kai repeated for Rei's benefit as he opened his eyes. "I understand. I'm really tired, guys. Do you think we can pick this up later?"

"Sure," Kenny answered Kai quickly. He had learned more than he had even hoped to in the short conversation they had. Besides, he was ready to get some sleep himself. He had spent the entire night typing away on Dizzy.

The 'Breakers left Kai to Takao's tender mercies and went to their own hotel room to rest. They didn't have much success with it though because they were too worried about Kai to be able to get their minds off of him for very long.

And things hadn't improved much by lunch time. They met up with Takao for lunch and found out that Kai was continuing to have more problems. He hadn't woken up at all during Takao's time with him and the nurse had to place him on an oxygen mask because he was having more difficulty breathing. Max was under strict orders to keep his eyes open and get any information he could from the nurses about Kai's condition.

The afternoon passed the same as the morning. Rei tried to get a nap in while Takao and Kenny spoke in the main room they shared. He knew that Kai would need all the strength he could lend him and was trying hard to make sure that he was up to full strength himself for when he visited him. Rei hadn't even realized that he had fallen asleep until he was shaken awake by Takao.

"Rei, Rei. Hey, man it's time to go."

"Alright, I'm awake. Thanks, Takao."

"Dr. Shin said he'd come by this evening, do you think we'll see him when we get to Kai's room?"

"I don't know. Let's go and see."

Quickly Rei got dressed and the three boys hurried over to the hospital. Unfortunately, when they got there, they found out that they had just missed the doctor. Max had been there for the visit though and while they ate dinner, he was able to pass on what the doctor had told him.

"The doctor is worried. He said that if Kai gets any worse, he'll put him on a machine to breath for him. I really don't think Kai's going to be too happy with that."

"Well, duh," Takao retorted. "I don't think anyone would be."

"No, I mean, I think they'll have to restrain him or drug him because I don't think Kai will just let them do it."

"Your probably right," Rei mused. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

"Did Kai wake up at all while you were there?" Kenny asked.

"Yea," Max answered sadly, "But when he woke up he really seemed to be hurting. The nurses came in a few times to give him pain medicine, but that made him really sleepy again."

The four boys didn't talk much after that, they just finished their dinner and went back to the ICU. Rei parted with them at the elevator. They had decided that Kai was too tired to put up with all of them and so they wouldn't all go in to see him tonight. Once the elevator dropped him at Kai's floor, Rei hurried down the hall towards Kai's room. He wanted to make sure Kai wasn't ever alone in the hospital so he wanted to be there before the nurse finished helping him with dinner.

He got to Kai's room in plenty of time. He could hear the soft murmur of the nurse speaking inside the room and waited patiently outside the door for her to come out. He tried to make polite conversation with the guard at the door, but this guard didn't seem too keen on talking. It was another man that Rei had never met before; tall, dark haired and seemingly intent only on his job. He didn't even make eye contact with Rei.

"So is it Yukiko on tonight?" Rei asked politely.

"I don't know."

"How long has she been in there?"

"Don't know, I just came on shift."

Rei was saved from trying to make anymore attempts at conversation when the door to Kai's room opened. He was happy to see that it was Yukiko who would be taking care of Kai tonight. She smiled pleasantly when she saw him and opened the door wider for him.

"Hi, Rei. He's awake right now, but try not to tire him out, okay?"

"I'll do my best," Rei smiled.

"Go ahead in, Rei." She waved him by and turned to the guard at the door. "Oh, hi, I thought it was Ken-san on tonight."

"No, Ma'am, he needed the night off, so I took his shift."

"I see. I'm Yukiko. If you need anything, be sure to ask for me. I'll be at the nurses' station."__

"Thank you, Yukiko-san. You can call me, Mikki."

------------tbc

oo; Finally, I thought I'd never post. I hope you liked the interaction between the 'Breakers and their newly found team mate, Kai. I plan on having a heart-to-heart between Kai and Rei in the next chapter. Still not sure the best way to go about it, but it will be there.

Thanks everyone for being patient with me. (Hope you didn't give up hope on an update ;;)

**Special Thanks to:**

**Jixnce: **Welcome aboard. To answer your question, yes, I already have this all planned out. As to 'will Kai get better???' Well, he's actually getting worse. Maybe he'll get better if they can figure out what's wrong. Stick around, you'll get all your answers…eventually ;)

**Midnight Insanity:** _smiles _Yep, Kai is back with his friends, after going through all that crap (crap???) _giggles_ I thought it was better than that. Joking, joking. I know what you mean. I'm glad you get the Zephry/Dranzer connection, it is definitely important. As for healing tears…the only place I found that info was in the Harry Potter books. I did not find that fact/myth in any of my research on the phoenix so it will not be incorporated in my story. Kai will have to get better or die with his own strength. Wish him luck!

**Droopy1389: **_laughs_ Still drooling over the partly-clad Kai? He is drool-worthy, I admit. As for me killing Kai, you'll have to wait and see. ;P

**MasterFranny: **_there, there _Don't have a heart attack ;) And don't feel bad about the mixup with the Houo boys. I should expect it because I'm so slow with updates T.T _laughs _And your right about the light. Just a little before we take one last plunge into darkness (I am running out of lyrics after all) I'm still thinking about a one shot, but not now. I don't want people to die from waiting too long ;P As for my other story, I'm currently also working on a digimon fic with Matt/Yamato and Tk. It's promising so far, ;) I have a fair number of reviews, but it is just in the beginning phase. Thanks for the fantastic praise, I'm so happy you are enjoying this story!!

**Vampyre Neko:** Sorry, I lost my dictionary…could you define 'hurry?' _giggles_

**Ellen: **_rolling on the floor laughing_ I guess it was sort of Soap Opeara-ish. Are you ready for a little Starwars? 'Kai, I am your father!!' (deep breathing) No!!!! _laughs_ Hey, in my defense, the usual heavy music that goes with 'Who are you' is because the person should know the person they don't. Kai has no clue who the strange crimson eyed man is. Think less soap, more mystery. And don't worry, I'm happy with Kai, you can have Tala (if you can keep from killing him that is ;))

**Gillian Sillis: **_dancing in the moonlit garden with my vampire friend _What pretty reviews ;) Definitely the claw has some deeper meanings to it. There is a lot that it show that Kai can't escape, his grandfather, his reason for his torments, and his unbreakable tie to the dark phoenix. I have to say, I felt for Black Dranzer, but after writing some deeper emotions behind it, I feel even stronger that Black Dranzer is a victim. I have, in a way, changed my end plan for Black Dranzer. You'll have to wait to see it ;P I'm glad you liked the use of Warui, it's one of my favorite words because it is how it is said that defines it's meaning. It fits Kai in my mind, so much said with so little. I'm also very proud of the changing eyes. The idea was pretty simple at first. I noticed how Kai's eyes changed in the different seasons. _laughs_ I hate inconsistencies, so I decided to clear it up myself. I took the idea of changing eyes to a new level and tied it into the phoenix. And that's how it happened. I made the rite up myself, I didn't find it in my research, purely from my imagination. As for what a rite is, it's a ceremonial act, a divine or solemn service. Basically it's a tradition that has become something stronger. Hope that makes sense.

**HimekoSukie:** _smiles _another phoenix, I thought there was just one, but I guess I'm wrong ;) Well, I guess everyone is getting used to my ways, because everyone knows it's not over yet for our bishonen Kai. Hope to see yo back for the next chapter, it'll have everything you expect (I hope)

**Phyrefly: **Thanks! Glad you are enjoying the story. I know a lot of stories have hospital scenes, but I had to do it. I just couldn't hurt Kai that much and not have him go to the hospital. Glad it was well done. Hospital scenes can be a bit heavy in the medical jargon if one isn't careful. I hope this chapter was done as well. Thanks again for the review. Ja ne!

**Fey Phantom: **_laughs_ Another eternal phoenix? Yeah! I'm glad you like the interaction and possibilities between Kai and Hideaki. It is always easier to blame or hate someone than to try to understand them. Poor Hideaki is going to have to rethink a lot of things. And I know exactly what you are referring to with Kai's fall. I found a cool website that has some clips from Grev(unedited of course) and some cool music videos. Don't you think Kai looks like a fallen angel? His tattered scarf makes me think of torn wings. Such a beautiful image. And they did a great job with showing his emotions in his face and eyes. _Insert ongoing school-girl squeal _I wish I could find more of GRev, unedited T.T Gomen, I haven't been online to do much reading, but I'll visit when I have time. I'm trying to get things settled to move. There's a lot to do! See ya next chapter!!

**Syaoran-Lover: **If you're only hanging on for my updates, I should go extra slow so that you can live longer. _Laughs_ I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I was so eager to have that one!! I loved seeing Kai return to his friends. I hope you liked the interactions between everyone in this one too. I know it's a bit slower, but hopefully the interactions make up for it. Hope you come back for more ;)

**Umi: **I'm so glad you feel that Kai is a deeper, more human character in my story. I truly want him to be as believable as possible. I hope that everyone remains within their character, but that you enjoy my portrayal of them.

**Jae: **Thanks! I know what you mean, I have the habit of devouring stories I like and then regretting that I don't have the story to read anymore. Hopefully, I will fulfill my desire to make something that is intriguing to read, but will continue to show new things each time you read it. Those are the best stories. Ja ne!

**Grand admiral chelli: **Glad you like. I agree. Kai needs some healing time before the torture resumes. He may not heal physically, but I'll try to give him some emotionally healing time. Hope the story continues to hold your interest. Catch you next chappie!

**DarkGoddessRaven:** _laughs _You really shouldn't be holding onto a chainsaw when you plan your heart attack. You're just asking for trouble ;P A Gryphon! Cool!! Hope you enjoyed!!

**Ashla: **_smiles _You think of such creative ways to kill Voltaire _laughs _I'm glad you came back to enjoy the story! Hope you continue enjoying it, all the way until the end ;)

**LaDiNi: **I definitely enjoyed seeing Hideaki defend Kai and the others (all unaware, of course) I hope you liked the developments in this chapter. I'm afraid the revelations will have to wait for Isamu. But I have a feeling Kai's heart-to-heart with Rei will delve a bit more into his past. I just hope I can pull it off. Wish me luck. ;)

**SchoolBoredom: **_giggles _It is getting long, isn't it. I had no idea it would be this long. I hope it was worth the time. Stay with me, I'm almost done (comparatively)

**Yami-sami-sama: **_laughs _in love? Kai is a hottie, ne? I'm afraid I don't have msn, although I keep getting nudges and shoves to get it. If I do, I'll post my msn name (or whatever it's called) on my profile. Please feel free to say hi anytime ;)

**Imari: **Yep, long but good, ne? Glad you made it this far, hope you stay with me for the rest of the ride.

**Anime Girl23: **_giggles _I had the exact thing happen to me. A great story that I meant to review, but didn't. When I went looking, I couldn't find it again. The HORROR!! It took so long to find. I won't make that mistake again T.T I'm glad you love the fic, and Ran. I like him myself. I'm afraid, the dead will not rise, but don't forget, the phoenix will rise from the ashes ;)

**Tru-Lone-Wolf: **Thanks! I'm proud of my details. Hope you continue to enjoy and that the details all make sense in the end ;)

**Mith quissir: **Such a simple request, but those can be the hardest ;P Well, here's the update. Enjoy!

Well, that's it for now. Another, lighter chapter. But it was needed for the info. I hope you enjoyed and please don't forget to leave a little light. Bring the Sun!!

The next chapter will be **Being Me**


	28. Being Me

**Disclaimer:** Alright people, use your common sense. If I owned BB, Kai would be the main character and Takao would have been defeated and dismissed in the first episode ;P I obviously don't own it or the beautiful song 'World so Cold'

**Warning: **The usual; some angst, some blood, some death (maybe). And a heart-to-heart, _heaven help us all_ ;;

**Author's Note: **Okay, okay, I know this was a long time coming. Warui (interpret any way you want _laughs_) I can only say I've been a bit stressed. My computer had a really horrible virus. I had to reboot everything from scratch and lost a lot _sniff, sniff _A lot, almost everything _no fair!!!!!!_ And now everything I own, even my patience, is on a boat out to sea (I sure hope). Eventually, I'm sure to catch up with it, but till then I'm living out of suitcases. It's fun, but I'm ready to have a home again.

Okay, enough griping. I had a fantastic Christmas holiday with my family and I'm finally done with this chapter. Please enjoy.

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXVIII: Being Me**

"Thank you, Yukiko-san. You can call me, Mikki."

Rei barely registered the conversation behind him before Yukiko shut the door. Of course, the important thing wasn't what was happening behind him, it was what was before him. Kai reclined in the bed with a small clear mask covering his nose and mouth, his crimson eyes open and glaring at Rei. Rei didn't take offense to it though, he knew Kai wasn't really upset at him. At least, he hoped Kai wasn't. Rei figured that Kai was probably upset with the fact that he was so weak that he needed help with such little things as eating and breathing.

"Hey, Kai, how're you feeling?"

"Wow, Rei," Kai's voice was muffled a little by the mask, but Rei could still make out what he was saying. "That's a pretty dumb question."

Rei flushed a little at Kai's biting reply. He immediately felt stupid for asking the obvious question.

_Geez, I'm a jerk. Of course he isn't feeling well. Even an idiot should be able to see that._

Turning away from Kai's glare to look out the window, Rei tried to think of something to say. Anything to diffuse the anger he felt in the air.

"I talked with Mr. D last night," Rei said, trying to find something, anything, to talk about. "They're still in Russia following up on that anonymous tip, but they haven't found Voltaire yet."

There was no answer. Rei risked a glance back at Kai only to find the burning, crimson eyes still glaring at him.

_That was smart. Just remind him of the maniac relative that put him here. Good going, Rei._

"But I'm sure they'll catch him." Turning again to the window, Rei tried to reassure Kai, or rather, himself that everything would be alright. "They won't let him anywhere near you again."

_Something safe. Something safe._

"I heard that Takao has been showing off some of his new moves." Picking beyblading as a safe topic, Rei forged ahead with trying to break the silence that came with the angry tension that seemed to fill the room. "He's so proud of himself. He and Max have been training so hard since Russia. I think they really wanted to make you proud." Rei smiled. "I hope you're ready for more demonstrations, 'cause Kenny's almost done rebuilding Max's blade. And then I'm sure Max is going to want to show off for you, too."

Rei laughed a little at the idea of the blonde and bluenette turning Kai's room into a bey stadium. Again, there was no reply from his wounded team mate. But this time when Rei checked over his shoulder, he found the crimson eyes hidden. Kai was apparently asleep. Rei approached the bed cautiously, fearful of the possibility of waking his tired team mate by making too much noise. Kai didn't even so much as twitch as Rei moved to stand beside him.

Looking down at his friend, Rei tried to find some sign that Kai was going to get better, some sort of glimmer of hope, but there wasn't any. Kai had always been lean, but now he was practically skeletal. Kai's breathing didn't seem labored right now, but Rei knew he was on as much oxygen as they could give him without placing him on a machine. The scrub pants and numerous fresh white bandages did a fair job of hiding most of the damage, but there was enough of Kai's chest exposed for Rei to practically count each individual rib on the right side of his chest. He could also see the tips of the icy flames peeking out from under Kai's bandages on his chest.

_Why didn't we see? How could he have been able to hide so much from us? We didn't even realize it. I never noticed anything, not his scars, not his tattoo, not anything. Some friend I turned out to be. No wonder he was so angry when I came in._

With a soft sigh, Rei slumped down in the chair beside Kai's bed. Closing his eyes, he settled himself in for what would most likely be a long and uneventful evening.

_I wish he wasn't so tired, I really wanted to talk more with him. Hell, while I'm making wishes; I wish we had found him sooner, I wish he wasn't hurt, I wish none of this ever happened. I don't understand why all this had to happen to him. It just doesn't seem fair. I failed him. Kai, ...I'm so sorry..._

"…'m sorry…"

Rei's eyes flared open at the almost inaudible words. The words had been spoken so quietly that he almost wasn't sure that he had heard them at all. For one wild moment, he wondered it he had accidentally spoken his own thoughts aloud without realizing it. But somehow, he knew the soft words hadn't been his. Glancing over to where Kai lay, he finally decided that he was so tired, he must have imagined it. Kai was exactly as he had last seen him; lying in what appeared to be a deep slumber, his eyes closed with his slow, regular breathes sending gentle mists against the mask that covered half of his face.

Rei almost laughed at himself for letting his imagination run loose in the all too quiet room. He closed his eyes again and listened to the room around him. Rei was surprised to realize that the room wasn't really silent. The soft hiss of oxygen, the thrum of the machines surrounding and supporting Kai, and the murmur of voices in the hall all created a white noise effect. The sounds mixed together to form something that in a strange way was more silent then silence. It was more than a little eerie and it made it even easier for him to hear the next words spoken.

"I'm sorry, Rei."

There was no doubt this time. Looking over to Kai, Rei saw that his eyes were now open. The crimson eyes didn't seem as fierce as they had been earlier. It was as if the fires in them had been banked. Kai looked at him with the most open expression Rei had ever seen on his face. And suddenly, Rei realized that he didn't have the foggiest clue to what Kai was thinking. He had learned to read all the subtle clues, the hidden thoughts, and the masked emotions. But now that Kai didn't appear to be hiding himself, Rei just didn't know how to read him.

"Sorry," Kai repeated. "I'm sorry for everything."

Now Rei was really confused, Kai never apologized. Rei wasn't sure how to answer the remorseful words. Rei felt like he had been struck by lightning. He sat silently in his chair waiting to see if Kai would continue speaking now that his mask of indifference was broken .

"Blading again with Black Dranzer. Fighting against you and the others. Destroying Max's blade and trying to steal everyone's bit beasts…I betrayed everyone…again…"

Rei listened patiently as Kai spilled his regret. When Kai seemed to have finished speaking, Rei sat ruminating over everything Kai had said. He wanted to jump right up and deny everything that Kai blamed himself for, but he knew that it would be the wrong thing to do. A spontaneous reaction like that would only seem false to Kai. Instead, Rei tried to figure out a way to make Kai come to the realization on his own that none of it was truly his fault.

"Kai, do you remember back in Russia? What we were talking about?"

There was a slight, confused pause before Kai nodded to Rei.

"You talked about betrayal. You warned me against trying to be your friend. I wanted to tell you something then, but everything sort of went to hell and I wasn't able to. Now that I have the chance again, I don't want to miss it."

Kai wasn't sure that he wanted to hear what Rei needed to say to him. After everything that had happened, he knew it wouldn't be good. However, it was exactly because of everything that had happened that Kai sat in anxious silence waiting for Rei to continue. No matter what was said, he felt he owed it to his friend to listen.

With the crimson eyes caught in his own intense gaze, Rei was surprised to see what might possibly be fear in the usually challenging rubies. But he quickly suppressed his own shock, he didn't want to make Kai uncomfortable now that he might be letting his icy barriers fall. Rei took a deep breath and spoke confidently.

"I trust you," Rei said simply. When Kai didn't respond, he continued. "You are my friend and I trust you. You would never betray me, you would never hurt me. In fact, I believe that you would do anything, even to the point of death, not to betray our friendship."

"How? Why?" Kai stammered his confusion at Rei's blunt statements. "Rei, you were hurt because of me. You were even forced into a battle against me. How could you possibly trust me?"

"That's easy," Rei smiled against the confusion he could see muddying the flames in Kai's eyes. It was so like Kai to assume the blame for everything that he didn't even realize that he was doing it. Nor did he realize that the things that happened around him weren't always his fault. Rei was determined to make him understand. "You didn't hurt me, Kai, you wouldn't. You didn't even cause me to be hurt. That happened because of your grandfather."

"Yes, but"

"No buts," Rei interrupted Kai before he could rationalize his way into any more blame. "Kai, can you honestly say that you have any control over what your grandfather does?"

"No, but"

"I said, 'no buts.'" Rei interrupted again. "And as for you betraying the 'Breakers, you didn't. It wasn't you."

"If it wasn't me, then who was it?" Rei winced slightly at the rawness of Kai's question. Kai hadn't truly meant it as a question, it had been spoken rhetorically. His voice held the pained acceptance of his own inner darkness.

"Honestly? I don't know." Rei sighed sadly, wishing he knew the right thing to say. "Kai, I don't know everything that you went through at your grandfather's hands. I don't know what he said or did. I don't know how Black Dranzer came into your possession. Only you know everything. But can you honestly tell me that you picked up that dark blade of your own free will? That you wanted to battle us?"

"No," Kai's voice was heavy, full of misery. "I didn't want to, I never wanted to. I told myself that I would never touch Black Dranzer again."

"What happened, Kai?" Rei spoke softly, invitingly. He knew that there were some injuries that could only be healed after they were exposed to the light. Kai had far too many wounds that he had kept hidden, kept secret from those around him. Over time, those wounds had festered in the darkness and had ultimately led to Kai's self-imposed isolation. But by speaking about the pain, Rei hoped to bring some of those scars out of the darkness and maybe even start healing them.

_A scar will never truly fade away, but maybe if he talks about things then he'll learn that the past isn't exactly as he remembered it. It's easy to blame yourself for things, but when you talk to someone else, you begin to see a broader picture of what might have happened. Maybe he can learn to forgive himself a little. And maybe, just maybe, he'll remember that friendship doesn't always mean pain._

Rei sat calmly beside the bed. He didn't try to prompt Kai or encourage him to speak, Kai would find that intrusive. Instead, he let the time flow past, waiting until Kai felt comfortable with the silence and with his own foreign emotions. Thirty minutes passed in that silence before Rei's forbearance was finally rewarded.

"I fought them for as long as I could," Kai spoke distantly, trying to keep the past in the past. "There was so much pain, so much blood, so much darkness. They used everything they could think of against me…even my own memories. Grandfather kept insisting that I reclaim Black Dranzer."

"But I refused," Kai's voice strengthened for a moment with fierce pride, his crimson eyes shining unnaturally bright. "I told Grandfather that I would never again let him use me!"

As Rei listened to Kai's words, he felt the sadness growing deep inside him. He knew that it was most likely that refusal, that defiance of Voltaire's orders, which had caused Kai to endure all of the pain at his grandfather's hands. Kai had been hurt because he had refused to betray his team mates, his friends. It was amazing to think that even though Kai would not admit to their friendship, he still let himself be tortured to the point of death for them.

_'To all appearances, this child has been severely tortured and healed only enough to be tortured some more.' _The doctor's words echoed in Rei's mind.

"That's when Grandfather did this," Kai continued, unaware of the effect of his words on Rei. He reached up gingerly and touched the spot of silver at the base of his neck. "Because I would not restore the bond between myself and Black Dranzer, he decided to bind me to the dark phoenix himself. This…thing…contains a portion of Black Dranzer's bit. It contains a portion of his spirit. When they forced this into me, I felt the bond between me and the black phoenix again, even stronger than before. I couldn't break that bond and I couldn't find my link with Dranzer. I remember trying to get away, trying to escape from the darkness that was beginning to consume me. I don't remember much after that. Just flashes, like I wasn't really there.

"Things only seemed to clear when I felt Dranzer's link with me again. His fire somehow seemed to reach me where I had been hiding. He helped me find my way back. That's when I realized that I was in Ran's clearing with you and the others.

"And that was when I realized what I had done. Because of my bond with Black Dranzer, I could feel the struggles of Draciel and Dragoon from inside of it. I knew I had to do something, so with Dranzer's strength I took advantage of that unwanted binding. Dranzer sent his flames down the link and into Black Dranzer. His attack managed to force the dark phoenix to release Max and Takao's bit beasts.

"That's pretty much the last thing I remember before waking up here," Kai finished.

"Was it similar to the first time you used Black Dranzer?" Rei asked tenatively. "Dranzer told me that you had problems with your memory that time as well."

"No, it was nothing like that time. The reason I lost my memory that time was because of how Dranzer broke the bond between Black Dranzer and me. It as if he disrupted my access to those memories. But for some reason when I returned to Russia, I was able to find my memories of that time again.

"It was different this time. It's not that the memories were destroyed or hidden from me, it's as if they happened to someone else. Like I was experiencing everything from inside someone else. Besides," Kai continued, "my memories couldn't have been altered by Dranzer breaking the bond this time because the bond to Black Dranzer is still there."  
"What?" Rei sat up, startled at Kai's calm statement. "But I thought Dranzer was able to re-establish his bond with you?"

"He did, but neither he nor myself can seem to break the bond with Black Dranzer. Maybe we're too weak or he's too strong, but either way, he's still tied to me. I can feel his pull even now, like he's trying to draw me in, devour everything I am."

Rei suddenly understood why Kai had been getting weaker. He almost spoke up about it, the words hanging from his lips, but he say Kai looking at him with complete understanding. That simple meeting of their eyes was all the exchange that the two of them needed to understand each other. Kai saw that Rei had finally figured it out and was desperately racking his brains to find a solution. And Rei realized that Kai had known all along that Black Dranzer was still feeding off of him and that there was no way for them to break the bond between the two. Kai was just too weak, even with Dranzer's help, and Rei didn't have any idea of how to force Black Dranzer to release Kai.

Rei had been desperately hoping that they would figure out what was weakening Kai. He had believed that if they understood what the problem was then they would be able to help him. He was crestfallen to find out that the knowledge only took away more of his hope. Rei let out a dejected sigh and the room again fell into its hum of white noise. Rei was too depressed from what he learned to try to break the silence again. Instead, he tried to come up with something to help his friend. And just as Rei was lost in his thoughts, so to was Kai. But Kai wasn't worried about his future, he was more concerned with something from the past.

"So you know, don't you?" Kai asked abruptly.

"Know?" Rei looked up, his inner turmoil temporarily interrupted. He had thought he understood but Kai seemed to be asking about something else.

"Dranzer told me that he showed you the fire that I caused at the abbey. You know what I did. You know that I killed..."

"Yes," Rei acknowledged sadly. "No, I mean, Dranzer showed me the fire, but I don't think I really know everything. It was like a snapshot of things; a small piece of a larger puzzle. I saw you confront your mother and grandfather and I saw you use Black Dranzer, but that's really all I know. I don't know what caused you to confront them, or what really happened after.

"But there is something that I really don't understand," Rei continued, bringing up the question he had so wanted to ask as he had watched Dranzer's memories. "Why did you pick up Black Dranzer? Through Dranzer, I could see the darkness that swirled around that black blade. I don't understand how you didn't see it, didn't feel it."

"But I did, Rei," Kai met Rei's question with brutal honesty. "I knew that the blade carried darkness in it. I knew it was pure chaos."

"You knew?" Rei was stunned. He hadn't believed that Kai would have bonded himself to the black pheonix if he had truly known what it was. "Then why? If you knew it couldn't be controlled, that it would only cause harm, why would you use it."

"To destroy. I didn't care that I couldn't control it. I didn't care that it might kill or consume me. The only thing I wanted was the destruction of all the lies that my life had been built upon."

"The lies your grandfather told you?" Rei asked, trying to understand such a single-minded need to cause destruction.

"Those," Kai replied, "and the lies I told myself."

Seeing the confusion on Rei's face, Kai sighed and prepared himself to bare a little more of his soul.

"You've heard of people that spend their whole lives searching for the meaning of life, right? Those people are idiots. The meaning of life is very simple. So simple that most children know it, even if they forget it as they grow older. My problem was that I didn't understand the meaning of my life. I thought I did, but I was wrong. It was when I finally understood what my life meant that I wanted to destroy everything that had built the lie around me."

"I don't understand." Rei spoke hesitantly. He didn't want Kai to think he was intruding too much on his privacy, but he wanted to understand more about Kai. He hoped that Kai would be willing to explain more since he had brought it up himself.

"Alright," Kai sighed in defeat, seeing he would have to give more than the shielded, cryptic answer. "I guess I should start with Nadja. My grandfather didn't really raise me. I didn't even see much of him until I was five years old. The one who took care of me was Nadja. She was my first memory. She taught me about life and love. She raised me to believe in the inherent good of people. It was nothing that could be specifically pointed out as life lessons, but it was the basis of our lives.

"This all changed when I was five. I had seen my grandfather before, but only for short visits. He was what I thought a grandfather was supposed to be. He would ask me what I was doing, bring me presents, tell me how good I was doing. When he told me I would be living with him and my mother, I was thrilled. Everything I had learned had taught me that a family was a group of people that loved and cared about you. I thought that moving to the abbey would mean that there would be more people I could love and who would love me.

"Then Grandfather brought me to the abbey to live. He took my life over. I saw less and less of Nadja, but I still wouldn't say that Grandfather raised me. It was more like he was molding me, trying to hammer me into a role that he wanted me to play. I should have figured out then what my life was for, but I tried to cling to the lie. Even when my mother hit me. Even when Grandfather gave me into the tender mercies of his trainers and scientists. Through it all, I desperately held onto the childish belief that my family loved me. That the pain and torment was alright. That it didn't matter, because no matter what they did to me, they truly did love me. That's what family meant. That is the meaning of life for most children."

Kai paused, he was finding it hard to speak in such an open manner. His very being rebelled against revealing so much of himself to anyone. It felt like he was creating an opening that would only lead to a fatal blow. Closing his eyes, he steeled himself to continue. He reminded himself that he had chosen this path, that he had chosen friendship.

Rei was stunned at how openly Kai was speaking of his past. He wanted to ask about where Kai grew up, what happened to Nadja, find out why his mother abused him, what sort of tests he was subjected to by the scientists. Every word that Kai spoke caused an explosion of thoughts and questions for Rei. But he remained silent, focusing all his attention on his friend. Every word was precious and would probably never be repeated again. This might be the only time Rei could learn about who Kai really was.

"When Ran was killed," Kai finally continued, forcing the words out, "the foundation of lies crumbled beneath me. I realized that there _was _a purpose to my life, a concrete rather than abstract reason that I had been born. It was like a fog had lifted. I suddenly understood everything. There was no love in my family's heart for me, I was nothing more than a tool. Grandfather had decided that he wanted to claim the phoenix and couldn't do it on his own so he created me. My entire existence was only a way to steal the phoenix from Ran.

"So you see," Kai focused on his friend, trying to see if Rei understood a little of what he was trying to explain. "Since my life meant nothing, I didn't care if I risked myself using Black Dranzer. All I wanted to do was strike back at those who created the hollow creature that I had discovered myself to be. Black Dranzer seemed to be the best way to do it. It was a perversion of all the love and friendship that Nadja and Ran had given me. Using it to destroy the abbey and everything corrupt within seemed like the only thing I could do."

"What happened to Nadja?" Rei asked, looking for someone in Kai's life that could be a source of hope for him.

"She died," Kai spoke simply, almost without emotion.

The abrupt answer was not what Rei was hoping for. The coldness to Kai's tone made him think of metal bars slamming into place. Rei realized that instead of finding out more about Kai and a possible loved one in his life, he had inadvertantly caused the barriers to rise around Kai again. He almost cursed out loud when he realized his mistake.

_'She died,' 'he was killed,' 'Grandfather probably killed him.' How many people has he lost? It's no wonder he keeps his barriers so tightly held, everyone he has ever cared about or could ever care about has died. How could anyone cause so much evil to another human being, much less to their own flesh and blood? I hope Voltaire resists arrest so they can just shoot the bastard and Kai can be free of him. Life in prison is too good for him. Hell, death is too good for him._

Rei almost felt guilty for his dark thoughts. Almost

"Was there anyone else?" Rei gently tried to break through Kai's barriers again. "Anyone besides Ran and Nadja that you cared about or that cared about you?"

"I'm not sure," Kai spoke haltingly, "maybe...my mother...but..."

"But he killed her," a cruel voice finished Kai's sentence from the doorway.

Rei shot up out of his chair at the chillingly familiar voice. In the doorway stood the same scarred man that Rei had seen in the clearing where he fought to save Kai. Kai felt the urge to leap to his feet and assume a defensive crouch. But despite what his head and heart were saying, his body was unable to obey. While Rei moved around the bed to stand between his friend and the man in the doorway, Kai's eyes narrowed to watch for any weaknesses he could exploit in his old foe.

Things quickly went from bad to worse as Voltaire stepped through the door at Hedeon's heels. Kai struggled to keep from showing how much he wanted to recoil away from his grandfather. Showing any sign of weakness would be akin to losing the first battle in this confrontation.

"Hello, Grandfather," Kai's voice was a pale imitation of his usual steely tone, "Fancy meeting you here."

"You don't sound very surprised, Kai," Voltaire smiled mockingly. "Always so tough, aren't you?"

"If he's not, I am," Rei growled. "You sick bastard, better run now, there's security everywhere. Leave now, or I'm calling for them."

Before Rei could even blink, Hedeon was a blur of movement. A sharp jab to his throat silenced any possibility that Rei had to call for help. Staggering back away from the sudden attack, he found himself cornered against Kai's bed. Rei heard Kai call out to him weakly and then he felt the kick that sent him over the bed to land heavily on the opposite side of the room. Struggling, Rei was able to push himself up to his hands and knees, but found he couldn't do much more at the moment. All he could do is cough roughly through his abused throat as he tried to regain his ability to breath. Through tearing eyes, Rei looked up to see his attacker approach Kai.

Kai's eyes were burning brightly, full of anger and hate. He knew he was too weak to be able to fight or even escape, but he was damned if he'd make it easy for them.

"I see you're just as much the lapdog now as you were when I was younger," Kai's voice held only contempt for the man before him. "I guess all that obediance school really payed off, didn't it."

"Mock me all you want, brat. It'll be your last chance."

"Enough of that already," Voltaire prompted his underling, "The longer we are here, the higher the risk of discovery."

Hedeon nodded and reached out to grab hold of the tubing that ran into Kai's IVs. With a quick jerk, he disconnected the tubing, pulling the IVs out at the same time. Kai bit his lip to prevent the gasp of pain from escaping. Drops of blood began oozing from the sites where the IVs had been. Carelessly, the scarred man brushed the oxygen mask off of Kai's face.

Rei was getting his wind back now and was climbing to his feet using the bed to help him up.He was ready to rush the bastard who was taking away everything Kai needed to live when he heard a barked order from the doorway.

"Stop," Voltaire brandished a gun complete with a silencer. "I really would rather not kill you here. I have a different plan for you."

"Don't interfere, Rei," Kai spoke weakly from the bed. _Not again. No matter what, I won't let them hurt another friend._

Rei stayed where he was, but continued thinking furiously on how he could save his friend. Looking at the monitors that were still attached to Kai, he felt his heart drop in his chest as the number that showed the oxygen in Kai's body began falling. The nurse had explained that the lower the number fell, the harder it would be for Kai to breath. Eventually, he might die because he couldn't get enough oxygen on his own.

Thinking of the nurse reminded Rei of another important fact. The monitors were set to alarm if any of the numbers changed dangerously. They were also programmed to alarm if they were disconnected from the patient for any significant period of time. Smothering a smile, Rei waited for the monitor to cry out for help. Unfortunately, Voltaire had already planned for this.

"Mikki," Votaire called, his voice pitched to be heard by anyone who might be standing outside the door. "Could you bring the replacement in."

Rei was horrified to see the same blue suit clad man that had been guarding Kai's room enter on Voltaire's command. He wheeled in front of him something Rei had never seen before. It almost looked like a long, high table draped in white. The guard didn't pay any attention to Rei, Kai or Hedeon, he merely nodded to Voltaire and lifted the top off of the table. Inside was a cold, steel gurney on which lay the unconcious form of another muscular security guard that Rei recognized. It was the man that had been guarding the Kai's door the first day they had brought him in. Rei vaguely remembered that his name was Ken. Mikki didn't stay long, he dropped off the replacement for Kai and quickly returned to his place outside the door before he could be missed.

With barely any time wasted, Hedeon had switched the cables and wires that attached Kai to his monitors to the sedated guard and moved the guard to an empty chair. Rei realized that with the monitors successfully bipassed and the fake security guard outside the room, there would be no outside help. As Hedeon lifted his weakened friend out of the bed and placed him on the now empty gurney, Rei did the only thing he could think of. He stalled.

"Why are you doing this?" Rei moved forward towards the gurney as he warily watched the gun in Voltaire's hand. "Haven't you done enough to him? If you take him out of the hospital, he'll die. Don't you need him alive. You can't use the phoenix without him."

Voltaire didn't respond to Rei's desperate pleadings, but Hedeon paused as he set Kai down.

"Enough?" Hedeon sneered. "Kid, you don't know anything about this monster. He has no loyalty. He cares about no one. He killed his own mother. He should have been put down like a stray dog a long time ago."

Kai didn't answer Hedeon's accusations. Once off the oxygen, Kai found each breath more of an effort. He needed to concentrate on taking deep breathes. Besides, he wasn't sure what type of argument he could put up against Hedeon's words, he wasn't confident of his innocence. But he found that he didn't need to answer the scarred man's bitter words, Rei had more than enough to say for him.

"You're wrong! You don't know anything about Kai, I'm sure you never did. He is a good friend, loyal and true. And as for his mother, that was an accident. He didn't mean to kill her or any one else. I'm sure of it."

"Listen," Hedeon glared at Rei, forgetting his current task. "I don't know what this liar told you, but I was there. I saw the fires spread too quickly to be extinguished. I heard the screams of those unable to escape. And when I broke through the flames to find Lady Marya, I discovered his ultimate betrayel. The door to her room had been locked. I could see the key broken off in it. If it hadn't been for him, I would have been able to reach her. I could have saved her. Instead I found myself outside her door, holding the locket I found in the hall, and listening to her screams as she burned to death. I stayed until the screams fell silent. Even if I couldn't reach her, I wouldn't let her die alone. That's how I recieved these scars, I couldn't get to her, but I wouldn't leave her door until I was sure she had died.

"But he didn't...," Rei suddenly felt dizzy, his mind replaying the memories he had experienced. He didn't rememeber Kai locking his mother's door.

"He killed her," Kai's eyes held sudden understanding. "He killed his own daughter."

"What the hell are you saying?" Hedeon glared down at Kai. "Trying to find someone else to pin the blame on?"

"Grandfather," Kai ignored Hedeon and glared at Voltaire, "why did you kill my mother?"

To Hedeon's shock, Voltaire laughed at Kai's question. "I'm almost disappointed in you. It took you long enough to figure it out."

The room froze at Voltaire's words. No one moved. Rei could feel a paplable shift of emotion in the room. Things had been dangerous before, but now it felt like they were in the eye of the storm. Any moment, all hell would break loose and Rei was trying to figure out where to take cover.

"_You _killed her?!?" Hedeon's face was slack with surprise. He had spent the last few years following each and every command of the very man that had killed Marya.

"Of course, she belonged to me, didn't she?" Voltaire's voice was calm, matter-of-fact. "Why wouldn't I dispose of something that was of no use to me? She had served her purpose, she had given birth to my grandson. I would have let her live, but the foolish woman decided she to try and hinder my plans. At every opportunity she defied me; forbidding you to speak japanese, teaching you to fight, going so far as to try to forbid you from spending your summers in the chatuea. She thought that if she interferred enough, she could stop my plans. By attempting to prevent you from becoming friends with that Houo child, Ran, she sought to prevent me from using you to sieze the phoenix. I wasn't worried though, at the time, I thought I had you well under control.

"Then you decided to attack me with my own creation. It was unacceptable. Her defiance had infected you. When I escaped from the fire in the lab, I found her in the hall outside of her room. She was holding that silly locket she had insisted on giving you and calling your name. The stupid woman had seen the flames and thought you might be trapped. I had had enough. I grabbed her and tried to shove her back in her room. She fought, but a few blows quieted her enough to let me toss her in and lock the door behind her. Such a troublesome woman, definately more trouble than she was worth."

That was when the storm hit. Rei fell flat to the floor and prayed that Kai would be out of the angle of fire as Hedeon launched himself at Voltaire. The cry of rage easily covered the soft pops of the silencer firing. And then it was over.  
Hedeon lay in a slowly growing pool of blood as Voltaire again trained his gun on Rei.

"You see, such a troublesome daughter. She even cost me my best underling." Voltaire smirked and addressed his next words to the closed door behind him. "Mikki, I have need of some assistance."

As the man entered the room again, he paused briefly to stare at the still body on the floor. Rei swore he saw a smirk, before Mikki turned to address his employer. "Yes?"

"I have just accepted Hedeon's resignation, but I fear I am now short on help in here. If you would secure the other boy, I would like to leave with my grandson now."

Rei began backing away from the man advancing on him. He had just witnessed these men cold-bloodedly kill someone and he desperately wanted to get Kai and himself out of there. The only problem was that Mikki was between him and Kai and Voltaire was standing between him and the door holding the gun.

"Hold still, brat, and you just might live through this."

Mikki had grabbed Rei's arm and twisted it behind him. Rei tried to fight back when he felt a sharp prick in his arm, which was followed by a hot streak running up his arm. He was unable to fight as he found himself lifted up and laid down on the gurney beside his friend. Kai didn't move. Rei wasn't even sure he was still conscious, but he was relieved to hear the shallow sound of his breathes. He was still alive, for now.

The table-top of the gurney was put back in place and Rei found the world growing dark around him. As they were wheeled out of the hospital room, Rei's hazy mind finally figured out what they were lying on. It was the gurney that the hospital used to transport dead bodies to the morgue. The cloth-covered top that provided privacy for the dead would hide them from anyone who might help them. Rei only hoped it wasn't an omen of things to come.

------------tbc

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Okay, I know it's not yet the new year, but it's close enough.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. (I hope it didn't suck too bad) I apologize to anyone who asked for the picture of Kai. Since I don't have my computer, I can't send it out to anyone this time. I will, I promise (if it's still on my computer _sniff sniff_) just as soon as I catch up to my computer.

I also apologize to anyone that might have emailed me. My email is now dead and I have a new email. Plus, I lost everyone's address when my computer crashed _sniff sniff_

Now, on to the fun stuff

**Special Thanks to:**

**Abyssinian: **Nice name. I don't know if you'll read this or not. I'll try to send you an email about the story, but you really have to read it to decide if you should read it or not _laughs_ Good luck with that.

**SchoolBoredom:** I'm glad I have you sticking around. The end is not too far away. Hopefully, I can get back on track and finish it before all my readers jump ship _smiles_

**Fey Phantom: **You must be really mad at me by now. I'm getting just horrible with my updates, aren't I. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter so much. I didn't realize how much humor I wrote into it until I read it again. _Laughs _It just seemed to work. Oh, and you didn't read me wrong. I'm headed off, actually leaving the country for a while. Should be fun, a bit of a scary time, but fun never-the-less. As for a tattoo of the phoenix, sounds like an interesting idea. I don't think you're wrong at all to give it careful deliberation. I've seen some pretty hilarious tattoos. I've never really wanted one myself, I think we get enough interesting scars in life without putting decorative ones on ourselves.

**Natasha-Li:** Glad you're enjoying. I hope this chapter cleared some up for you. There's not much more to come, so the answers should be coming clearer now. Stick around.

**Mith**** quissir:** Sorry it was a slow update. I hope it was worth it. _smiles_

**Drooy1389: **_giggles _Poor Kai, it doesn't look like he's getting any better, ne? Well, you'll just have to wait around to find out just like everyone else ;P As for 'kill the pig,' which one? Did I do good? I'm not done yet!

**Midnight Insanity: **Good guess. Are you happy with the road so far? Yep, that nasty talon is draining Kai. But the problem now is what to do with it. They can't remove it, so they'll have to think of something else. But I don't think that's the biggest concern for them right now

**Meikimari: **Welcome back :) Glad you enjoyed, hope you like this one as well.

**MasterFranny:** I'm so sorry I can't send you the picture right now. I'll try to get it out with the next chapter. (Whenever that is _laughs wickedly_) I'm glad you liked the face-to-face, I hope you enjoyed the heart-to-heart. It was so hard to write. Having Kai consciously show his inner feelings to someone seemed so off. I hope it worked. Hope you haven't died from ff withdrawal. Maybe the next one will be faster (and the sun just might set in the east) Just kidding!

**Grand admiral chelli: **Now you already know I won't tell you what's going to happen. Yes, the talon is a big problem, but Kai's a strong guy. I hope you like the emotional tones to this chapter as well.

**Ellen:** Didn't you know, great minds think alike. (of course Kai likes Harry Potter) Thanks for the great review. I know what you mean about grammatical mistakes in fanfics. I enjoy writing and I would never post something that is less than I think I can do. It's good to know it's appreciated. I hope school has been treating you better and that you had a great holiday!!!. Have a great New Year, and I'll catch you next chappie!!

**Syaoran****-Lover: **Thanks for the review. I agree with you one hundred percent, fics need more than just action. Mine especially because I put so many twists and details into it. I don't really think of these as fillers because they give info that the readers need to have. As for the locket, you'll find out about that in the next chapter. The last anyone saw it was when Hideaki was carrying Kai away from the clearing. As for why Kai's not getting better, you guessed it, it's that thing in his chest _laughs_ Plus you were ahead of the game on the security guard. Good job! Ja ne!

**Althea Astera Renata: **Good job. I think just about everyone figured out what was causing the problems. I would think I'm slacking off, but I want people to be figuring things out ;P I'm happy you like the detailed plot. It has been so much fun playing with. I hope the end wraps everything up well. Be sure to come back for more.

**Jae: **_Smiles_ You always write such sweet reviews :) I liked the way everyone pulled together for Kai too. In any other situation, he would walk away or toss them out of his room, but he's trying so hard to learn how to be a friend. Plus the fact that he just doesn't have the strength to be his normal ornery self. Poor Kai!! Mr D is basically out of the picture for now, but the locket will be in the next chapter. I hope this chapter has been up to your high standards. I'll look for you next chapter!

**Gillian Sullis: **Oh wow! Such a nice review!!! You flatter me so much. _Laughs_ I'm glad you like the characterizations of everyone. It's so hard to keep them in character and still let them grow within the plotline. The heart-to-heart was really hard. I hope it went off well. Really, Rei is the only character that I can believably see getting Kai to open up. I do think that they are good friends. I did enjoy the interaction between Kai and Hideaki, it has truly been a long time in coming. But there is still more that must happen. They finally met and spoke to each other, but they don't quite know the truth to their situation. Some of it should clear up next chapter. I am afraid I have different plans for the claw in Kai's chest though. It can't be removed without killing Kai (do you really want me to remove it?) But I have figured out a fun way to use it _cackles evilly_ Oh, and as you can see, you were not too paranoid. The guard is definitely a plant. Votaire once again has Kai in his evil clutches, but this time he doesn't seem to care if Kai lives or dies. Poor Kai!! Let's see… Dranzer does know how and why he exists, but when Kai lost his memory and Dranzer chose not to tell him about his dark past, he thereby chose not to tell him about Ran and himself. See? Can't tell one without the other. Now that Kai knows about his past, Dranzer doesn't need to explain anything. Kai's a smart cookie, he figured it out on his own. Don't worry about being a unicorn. Evil is just a matter of perception. I highly doubt Voltaire considers himself evil, he is just a victim of circumstance just like everyone else.

**Umi: **_hiding safely under desk _Angst Monster? I'm never coming out again. Just slip my food under the chair _laughs_ I know exactly what you mean. I read some stories that start out very well, but quickly slide downhill with the angst. It's high praise that you think I am keeping a good pace and balance between the plot and the angst (two very separate things). Hopefully I can continue. I don't have much more to go after all. Wish me luck.

**LaDiNi: **_blushes and giggles_ yep, you caught me. All my characters have a little bit of me in them. Sometimes it easier to see than others. Shameless, aren't I? Well, as for who figures what out, it should be next chapter. Boy, that'll be a bear to write. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it. If I don't talk to you again till the new year. Have a Happy New Year!! And I'll write when I get settled ;)

**Starfiredevil: **_giggles _yep, the guard is not a good guy. How could he be? I'm not done tormenting Kai yet. Sadly, this story is coming to an end, but hopefully, when it's done, you can reread it and see some new stuff. _Laughs_ How's that for some shameless self promotion ;P

**VoicesOfInsanity: **I'm so glad you fought with the computer so you could leave a nice review for me ;) Such a pretty review. Well, you were right to be wary, that's a bad man left to guard poor Kai's door. And the resolution of Kai and his father is not far off. I hope it won't be too hard to write. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stick around, we're almost done

**Ashla:** So let me ask you…does Voltaire shooting Hedeon make you like him or hate him more? _Laughs_ And, no you may not kill him… I have plans _rubs hands together gleefully_ big plans _mwahahahahaha_

**DarkGoddesRaven:** Planning is fun, but finishing is much anticipated. I'm constantly afraid I'll make a mistake and fudge up my entire plotline. Well, when I'm finished, I'm safe. So here's to finishing!!!

**Yami**** sami-sama: **_laughs_ Thanks!! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Each chapter seems a little harder. Maybe I just don't want to finish ;P Anyways, I did finally get msn thanks to a certain friends constant nagging. (You know who you are little imouto). Look me up anytime. I go by my pen name from ffnet. Ja ne!

**Lil**** phoenix kd: **:) The Kai Torture Express is so much fun to ride on, ne? Well, I may not update quickly, but never fear, I will continue to update and this story will be completed in the not too distant future.

**Golden Rain: **_laughs_ thanks for the great review. I'm sorry that I can't send the pic now, but I will when I can. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter and leave another nice review ;)

**Darkinuyasha: **OO oo A pitchfork and torch? I always know I'm doing good when I get threat against my life _laughs_ I promise to continue, but I make no guarantees about Kai's health or life. You'll just have to hang onto you pitchfork and wait like everyone else :P

**HimekoSukie:** I'm glad you found the last chapter, I hope you don't have problems with this one. Well, as you can see, the talon is the big problem for Kai right now. As for Hideaki, that's going to be addressed next chapter. Hope you like it :)

**Lightdragon1987: **I'm happy that you like my twisty, detailed plot. It's been so much fun to play with. Thanks for leaving a nice review. Hope you continue to enjoy the story. Ja!

**Icy blade anonymous1250: **Don't worry about reviews being cut off. I completely understand. I haven't had much luck with my computer either. I'm borrowing someone else's right now ;; I'll try to drop a line when I get my computer up and running. I may be able to borrow one again before then, but who knows.

**Cat Helper:** _laughs_ Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I'd rather be tortured, brainwashed, and experimented on then betray a secret (hmmm….see a common theme) _giggles_ I'm glad you found me. I know the story is long, but I do hope it's worth it. Good thing you found me now, you could have been dying of suspense for the past years with everyone else. ;) Sometimes it's good to find a story near the end.

**Chibi**** Kitty:** It is getting long, ne? I'm happy you stuck it out for the 3-4 days it took to read this. I hope you keep checking back for more. As for your question…this is not meant as a KaiXRei shonen ai or yaoi. I said it in the beginning and I meant it. But…I do want people to feel free to find whatever relationship in it that they want. I find it fascinating that most animes are a bit playful in this regard. A lot of series don't have overt males pairings in them, but they have so much fun dancing around the possibility. I wanted to do that here. If you've seen Naruto, for example, two of the male main characters share a kiss in the beginning, but it's accidental and they are hetero as far as the anime will show. It's fun to keep things up in the air.

**Eyriess: **Such a pretty review :) I'm so happy to help you out in procrastinating from school work. An authors gotta do, what an authors gotta do. Here's my latest tribute to your cause. Good luck with that _laughs_

**Jixnce: **Sorry, I didn't catch the name change. Yep the last chapter and this one were originally going to be one chapter, but you can see that wouldn't have been possible and still keep the story flowing well. As you can see by the end of this one, that the excitement and angst is back. It's the last gasp before the end. Yeah!!

**Kittikat**** Kai: **_laughs_ You are my first reviewer to say they hate Rei. Boy I bet you just loathed this chapter, didn't you ;P Well, I do think Kai would kick everyone out if he could, but they just aren't letting him. And the poor boy has been tortured and abused so much, that he just doesn't have much say in the matter. Poor Kai. Maybe he'll get better and kick everyone's a— as payback for not leaving him alone. Would that work? ;)

**Ghost:** Thanks for the review. Hope you liked this chapter too. Ja!!

**Mori'quessir: **Don't cry, here's the update. Another will come eventually ;P

**Vampyre**** Neko:** _laughs _Cute dictionary you have there. I don't think it's Webster, ne? Well, I didn't exactly rush, but I had to wait until I was satisfied with the chapter. I would never post something that was rushed and crappy (I hope) Feel free to define anything else ;) I could use another good laugh

Yeah!!! Done with the chapter and the review thanks! (I'm not even going to say how long I stayed up typing all the thanks)

I hope everyone enjoyed and please don't forget to leave a little light!!!

Bring the Sun!!!

By the way, the next chapter will be **Need to Find**


	29. Need to Find

**Disclaimer: **While this plot is definitely mine, the characters and the lyrics are not.

**Warning: **A little cursing, some mention of blood, but overall, relatively tame.

**Author's note: **_hiding in shame _Oops, I've been very, very bad, ne? This is a shorter chapter (sorry, I know it should be longer due to wait time). It is meant to give a little more info, but not realy too exciting. Please enjoy and hopefully, the next one will be faster (both in updating and in pace)

**A World so Cold**

**Chapter XXIX: Need to Find**

RING…

_What the hell?_

RING…

Burrowing deeper into his blankets, Takao dragged his pillow over his head and tried to convince himself that 'no, there was no annoying sound.' Unfortunately, he didn't do a very good job of it because the irritating noise continued to invade the room. Peeking out from under his pillow, hoping for salvation, Takao looked around to see if either of his team mates might have gotten up to deal with the rude noise. He almost snickered when he saw Max, similarly buried under his covers, with one arm snaking out to pound away fruitlessly on the bedside table in search of a non-existent alarm clock. Now that Takao was awake enough to realize that the noise was coming from the phone and not an obnoxious time piece, he was fairly sure that Max wouldn't be able to stop it that way. Scanning the room, he also noticed that the third bed was empty. Any hope that Kenny was up answering the phone was dashed when he heard the faint sound of water running in the bathroom. Since it was getting close to the time Kenny needed to relieve Rei, Takao figured that he was probably getting cleaned up to go to the hospital.

RING…

Knowing he didn't really have a choice, Takao reluctantly pushed off his covers and climbed out of bed to stumble towards the phone. It took him a full minute to get the receiver lined up right before he could mumble a greeting into the phone.

"H'lo?"

"Yes, I'm trying to reach the friends or relatives of Kai Hiwatari."

"This is Takao, I'm a friend of Kai's" Takao answered, suddenly wide awake. The person's inquiry may have been very simple, but he could hear the urgency behind the words. "What's wrong?"

"Are Kai's other friends currently with you?" The male voice continued, ignoring Takao's question.

"Yeah, I think so. Hold on." Takao answered, briefly covering the mouthpiece and yelling, "Kenny! You there?"

Takao heard a startled exclamation from the bathroom and then Kenny's head peeked out from behind the door. Even though the brunette's appearance was quite comic, his glasses askew and shampoo still foamy on his head, Takao didn't laugh. He simply turned back to the phone to find out what was happening.

"Yes, everyone is here." Takao repeated more assuredly to the faceless speaker. "Everyone but Rei. He's visiting with Kai right now. What's wrong?"

"Are you sure he's currently with Kai?"

"Yes!" Takao was getting tired of the man asking questions but not answering his. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer your questions over the phone. We need you to come to the hospital. Now."

Takao didn't bother responding to the man. Slamming the phone down, he raced to the chair that his clothes were hanging carelessly over.

"Everybody up!" He yelled as he pulled his pants on and wrestled his shirt over his head. "That was the hospital. Something's going on. We need to go now!"

He hadn't even finished speaking before Max was out of bed and rummaging around looking for his own clothes. Kenny had ducked back into the bathroom and Takao could hear the water burst back to life. He would have worried about the delay, but as he finally managed to wrestle his arms and head through the appropriate holes, he saw a small, naked body streak past him.

Within five minutes, all three boys were dressed and in the elevator heading down to the lobby. They glanced at each other, eyes full of fear and concern for their friend. Because they were so preoccupied with their worries, they didn't notice that Takao's shirt was on backwards, Max's hair seemed to be defying gravity, and Kenny was creating a small pond on the floor of the elevator because he had not taken the time to dry off.

Thankfully, it was close to 11 o'clock at night by the time they hit the lobby. Otherwise, their mad dash through the hotel lobby and across street might have been interrupted by someone or, worse yet, some car. In fact, due to the late hour, they didn't encounter any resistance in their mad dash until they actually reached the ICU where Kai was staying. That, of course, was where they reached an impasse.

The nurses' desk absolutely seethed with activity. A mass of people in scrubs moved behind it, speaking rapidly in low tones to each other. When Takao caught sight of the confusion at the desk, he thought that they would be able to go right past without anyone noticing them. But despite the obvious chaos, they didn't even manage to make it one step past the desk into the ICU.

"I'm sorry, you can't go in there," a polite, but flustered woman in scrubs called out to them.

"We were told to come in," Max explained rapidly. "Our friend Kai is here."

The three boys were amazed because those were somehow the magic words. All conversation stopped and everyone behind the desk turned as one to look at them. If they hadn't been scared before, they would have been terrified now.

"You're Kai's friends?" the woman repeated, her voice going up an octave.

"What's wrong with Kai?" Takao decided to try his luck again at getting an answer.

"We can't let you go back right now," she ignored his question and began to move around the desk. "If you come with me, I'll let them know you're here."

She tried to herd the boys to the conference room, ignoring their questions and giving soothing platitudes as she walked behind them. Takao tried to interrupt her, tried to get her to tell them what was going on, or find out who she was going to notify, but the secretary didn't allow him to get out more than a word or two at a time. Finally, tired of being ignored, he ducked under her arm and took off down the hallway at a sprint. She reached out for him, trying to snag him as he ran by, but he easily dodged past her. Taking advantage of the woman's distraction, Max and Kenny followed close behind him.

Even though the halls were packed with people, some in scrubs, some in dark blue suits and a surprising number of uniformed police, the trio didn't encounter any more resistance. It looked like everyone besides the secretary at the front desk was deeply involved in something else. They made it all the way to the open door of Kai's room before anyone noticed them. Even with the policemen in Kai's room, the trio might have been able to remain unnoticed. But they didn't get a chance to test that theory, what they saw before them made them unable to remain quiet.

"Oh my god!" Kenny gasped.

From the doorway, the young bladers could easily see the empty, rumbled bed and the deep red blood stain beside it. The pool of blood was so large that the two policemen crouching beside weren't quite enough to block it from view. What the boys didn't see, though, was any sign of their two friends.

"Where are they!" Takao yelled at the officers in the room.

The two men crouching down exchanged glances with each other before the man on the right stood up to face them.

"You kids shouldn't be here."

"We were told to come!" Takao continued to shout at the man, letting all his fear and frustration out at the first target he saw. "Kai is our friend! They were supposed to be helping him, keeping him safe! And where's Rei? He was supposed to be here, too! What happened to him? We have a right to know what happened here! Where are they! Are they alright! Is anyone…hurt?"

The tall officer had come to a stop a few feet in front of the boys and allowed the anxious bluenette to finish his rant. The man was experienced enough at his job to know that sometimes you just had to let a person blow off steam before you could answer them. When Takao's voice finally changed from determined and loud to fearful and shaky, the officer stepped closer to answer the fear and frustration in his voice.

"I know you're very concerned about your friends." The man's voice was calming, comforting. But he didn't make a move to come any closer to the three boys, he knew from first hand experience that getting too close or trying to touch an angry person could cause them to lash out instinctively. He wasn't worried about the bluenette hurting him, he knew it was much more likely that he would hurt the young boy if he needed to restrain him. "If you come with me, I'll tell you everything we know right now. It would be helpful if you were able to answer some of our questions, too."

"No," Takao answered the man's calm reasoning with understandable reluctance. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what happened!"

The officer took a moment to look over the trio in front of him. His practiced eye took in their disheveled appearance and wide, frantic eyes and he knew that they were probably close to their breaking points. Stepping forward, he deftly moved to block more of the room from their view and did his best to address their fears.

"Approximately 15 minutes ago, the night nurse, Yukiko, entered your friend's room to check on him. Neither of your friends, Kai nor Rei, were in the room. She did find one of the security guards, I believe his name is Ken, drugged and hooked up to the monitor in one of the bedside chairs."

"But where are they?" Max interrupted. "What about the bl…the blood?"

"We don't know who the blood is from; we aren't sure what happened yet." The officer turned to the concerned blonde. "When we arrived on scene, we immediately locked down the hospital and secured the area. We weren't able to find your friends nor any sign of where they went. Because there are signs of a struggle, we are working under the assumption that they did not leave of their own volition."

"No shit, Sherlock!" Takao couldn't stop the comment. He remembered too well Kai lying so desperately ill in the hospital bed.

"Because of the hospital records," the officer continued, not showing any offense at Takao's rude comment, "we were able to determine that the blood on the floor is not Kai's."

"What about Rei?" Kenny interjected.

"I'm afraid that we don't have any medical info on your friend, Rei, so we can't rule out the possibility that he is injured." The officer was taking great pains to make sure he spoke in the present tense about the missing children. He was trained to assume they best, but life experience had taught him that he had to expect the worst. He didn't want to even hint at the worst to the young boys in front of him.

But the worried boys didn't need him to point out the possibly tragedy that awaited them, they were well aware of the possibility that one or both of their friends could be injured or dead. They had witnessed with Kai the sheer cruelty that Voltaire was capable of. They didn't get the opportunity to continue questioning the policeman, though, because it was at that moment that Houo Hideaki chose to arrive. He had also been called to come to the hospital, but because he lived further away, he arrived after the 'Breakers.

"What's happened?" Hideaki looked over the officer's shoulder and paled at the expanse of blood on the floor.

"Kai and Rei have been abducted," Kenny summarized. "It doesn't appear that Kai was injured, but Rei may possibly have been."

"What?" Hideaki blinked at the news. "How? Who?"

"His bastard of a grandfather, that's who," Takao answered him angrily. "He couldn't just leave him alone, could he. I say we hunt him down and feed him his balls!"

"His grandfather?" The officer interrupted Takao's rant. The hospital had been too frantic about what happened to actually provide the police with much background on the missing patient. "Why do you suspect him?"

"The reason for the boy's stay in this hospital was because of his grandfather's maltreatment," Hideaki answered, forestalling anymore ranting from the over-active bluenette. "It appears his grandfather had abducted and abused him horrendously before he was recovered by his friends. Since his grandfather did this previously, it only makes sense that he would do it again."

"Do you have proof of any of this?" The officer was eager for an excuse to follow up on this lead.

"I'm not sure," Hideaki answered reluctantly. "I'm sure the hospital can give you the medical records, but I'm not sure if anything could actually be used as evidence against his grandfather."

"Damn!" Reluctant to let the lead pass him by, the officer decided to try an alternate possibility. "Do you have this 'grandfather's' address? We should probably inform him that his grandson has been kidnapped. Plus, we can use it as an excuse to look around a bit."

Even in his mad rush from their hotel room, Kenny had managed to bring Dizzi with him. He quickly opened up the laptop and provided the policeman with Voltaire's nearby home address. Pulling out a small notepad from his right inner, breast pocket, the officer jotted down the address and gave them a grim smile.

"Tsuzuki," the officer called over his shoulder. "Gather a few of the boys together, we've got a lead." The officer behind him straightened up from where he was crouched over the blood stain and gave a mock salute before leaving to inform his team. The officer in front of the boys gave a soft sigh of exasperation at the usual behavior from his subordinate and turned back to the trio of children, "Can you give me a number to contact you at if I have more any questions or more information?"

"We'll be here," Takao was quick to answer. "We're not going anywhere."

The others quickly nodded their agreement with the bluenette. Since it was the reply he had been expecting, the officer didn't try to dissuade them. "Fine, but you can't stay here, this is a crime scene. This area is off limits."

"No problem, Officer," Hideaki spoke quickly to forestall any attempts by the boys, Takao in particular, to argue the point. "We can wait in the lounge."

"That'll be fine."

Nodding an absent farewell, the officer left them to meet up with his men. Takao and the others were so relieved that the police were taking them seriously and going to investigate Voltaire that they didn't try to argue with Hideaki as he lead the way to the lounge. And once they were seated in the small room, no one spoke. It wasn't that they had nothing to say to each other, but rather that they all had too much on their minds to be able to coherently express it. Takao's emotional turmoil was easy to spot as he paced back and forth the short length of the room. Normally it would have been distracting, but no one commented today. Kenny had retreated to the comfort of his laptop, his eyes scanning rapidly from page to page while Max sat quietly on the uncomfortable sofa. The only sign of the blonde's agitation was the relentless gnawing at his bottom lip.

Hideaki sat in silence with them, leaving the bladers to their internal struggles. He too was lost in his own thoughts. Despite his suspicions over the last few days, he had resisted his urges to interrogate the injured boy. He had told himself that the child would recover and that he would have the luxury of time to investigate all his concerns. With Kai missing, and not receiving any type of medical care, he knew chances were becoming slimmer by the minute that he would be able to get the answers he needed.

Time seemed to move slowly in the small room, as time was wont to do when it was being measured with such intensity. Four pairs of eyes watched each minute tick sluggishly by without any word from the police about their friends. Each passing minute added more weight to their fears. Almost an hour had passed in silence before the sound of someone at the door drew all eyes expectantly to it.

Three disappointed sighs were released when the door finally opened wide enough for the young 'Breakers to see that it wasn't the police officer returning to tell them that their friends had been found. Instead, they found the nurse, Yukiko, looking cautiously around the room from the doorway.

"I'm so sorry," she spoke forlornly, her guilt that her patient was kidnapped on her watch weighing heavily on her. "I should have kept a closer eye on them. I'm sorry."

Silence answered her apology. They knew it wasn't really her fault, but they weren't up to providing reassurances to anyone right then either. She took their silence with dignity and turned to leave them to their private contemplations, but hesitated briefly at the doorway.

"When Kai-kun was in the Emergency Room, they sent him for several procedures that made it necessary to remove any valuables." Yukiko looked around the room at each of them, but the only one who met her eyes was Hideaki. "Because it is hospital policy that any valuables be placed in the hospital safe, this was locked up for safekeeping."

Approaching Hideaki, Yukiko held her hand out to him. Nestled in her palm, in a spill of a thin, silver chain, was the scarred, silver locket that the young man had noticed before when he had carried the wounded boy out of the woods.

"I'm afraid they had to cut the chain to remove it," she said with a small frown. "It didn't seem to have a clasp or anything. Would you please return it to Kai-kun for me when you find him?" She asked him, complete certainty in her voice that the injured boy would be found.

"Yes," Hideaki answered her confidence with his own renewed. "I'll make sure he gets it."

Hideaki reflexively held out his hand and felt the cool silver cascade into it. He tightened his fist around it, vowing he would find the boy. _I have to find him. He doesn't deserve anything that has happened to him. Besides, he was Ran's friend. I would be failing my nephew if I let the friend he sacrificed so much for be hurt anymore. And I...I need to talk to him. I need to know the truth._

As Yukiko reached the door, she was stopped by the soft, hesitant voice of the blonde behind her. "How long?"

Yukiko didn't answer immediately, she just stood in the open door looking away from them. There was a moment of silence before Max asked again, "How long can he last?"

"…"Yukiko looked down and for a minute it seemed like she wouldn't answer them. When she finally raised her head, they could see tears in her eyes. "At the rate he was declining…without medical support he…maybe, 12 hours…maybe less…"

Yukiko hurriedly stepped out of the room, brushing past a young police officer as she left. The young man was someone they hadn't met before and he was obviously new to his job. You could practically see the untarnished polish that only the new and untested show.

"You're friends of the abducted boys?" he asked randomly to the room.

"Yes," Takao stopped his pacing and stalking up to the man. "Did you find them? Are they okay? Where are they now?"

"Detective Owaru just called, he says that they searched the house and were unable to find any signs of your friends."

"What!" Takao yelled. "Did they look everywhere? They have to be there!"

"I…I'm sorry, bu…but they weren't," the poor cop stuttered in the face of Takao's fury.

"How could they search the house?" Kenny looked up from where he sat. "Don't they need a search warrant or something? The officer from earlier said they didn't have enough evidence for that."

"They didn't have a search warrant, but Officer Owaru said that Mr. Hiwatari seemed very concerned about finding out that his grandson was missing and agreed to let them search his home." The young officer was reading from his notepad to make sure he didn't miss anything. "Since the search was consented, they didn't need a warrant. They searched the entire house and the surrounding grounds, but couldn't find any trace of the two boys."

"You have to call them back," Max urged. "Voltaire is really tricky. I'm sure he only let them look certain places. He wouldn't let them search where he was really holding Rei and Kai."

"They're already on their way back to the hospital. There are a few other leads that we need to follow up on. We'll find them." Putting away his notepad, the rookie tried to put on a strong face. He had seen his peers do it, instill trust and confidence in others with merely a look. He tried it, but failed miserably.

Seeing that the three boys didn't look any more confident in him, in fact, they looked as if they wanted to rip his ears off and feed them to him, the young cop beat a hasty retreat. Takao didn't wait for the door to shut fully behind the cop, with a sharp motion he beckoned Max and Kenny to him.

They had trusted the cops to handle everything and the cops had blown it, now it was time for the 'Breakers to take matters into their own hands. Putting their heads together, they had a hushed conversation about how to get their friends back. They were trying to keep it quiet because they didn't want Hideaki to hear and maybe try to stop them. But they didn't really need to bother whispering because the younger Houo brother wasn't paying them any attention. He was completely focused on the scarred, silver locket in his hand.

Turning the silver locket over in his hands, he realized that it might hold some of the answers he needed. With gentle fingers, he tried to open the locket. Unfortunately, the heat that had caused the scarring had warped the soft silver and the locket resisted his attempts to discover its secrets. Looking up at the boys in their conspiratorial huddle, he smiled grimly at the thought that their secrecy would let him do a bit of secret prying of his own. He didn't really want the boys to see want he was doing with their friends keepsake. It wasn't exactly that what he was doing was wrong, he just wanted to look after all, but he wanted to do it alone. He wanted a private moment to digest whatever he found, or to come to terms with it if there were no answers inside. Reaching into his pocket, Hideaki pulled out a small, retractable blade. It wasn't large enough to be used as a weapon, but it was perfect for trying to pry open the reluctant locket.

It was a good thing that the locket was made of high quality silver, since silver was softer and more malleable than steel. It took some persistence, but finally the locket fell open to his blade and Hideaki saw what it contained. His breath caught in his throat and his brain seemed to freeze. He had somehow known what would be inside, but now that he saw it for himself, he just didn't know how to react. Should he be happy? Sad? Angry? He just didn't know.

There was a picture framed on the left side of the inner locket. It was small and the edges of it had been yellowed, probably by the same heat that scarred the locket. But Hideaki still recognized the face in the picture. It was Marya. Even though it had been so long ago, he had never truly forgotten his first love. He could remember running his hands through her long, cobalt hair. The picture even showed her eyes, seemingly frozen in a shade somewhere between blue and green, and reminded him yet again of the fascination he had held for their ever-changing hues. But it was her smile that he remembered best. Her smiles were always small, reserved, but they seemed to hold so many hidden meanings. There was always a hint of sadness mixed with the joy. They had been such a mystery to him, but he had loved them all the same.

The opposing inner face of the locket was blank. Instead of a picture, there was just a blank piece of paper. Hideaki frowned in disappointment, he had wanted a bit more definitive an answer in the locket. He had already known that Marya was Kai's mother, but he was hoping the locket would have pictures of both mother and father. He almost gave up hope on the possibility of the locket giving him anymore answers, but he couldn't help but try one last thing. Picking at the yellowed edges of the blank piece of paper, he gently worked it out from the locket's framing. With luck, maybe it would have something written on the hidden side.

It took a bit of effort, the paper was old and fragile so he had to be careful not to tear it apart as he removed it from the locket, but, finally, the paper came free in his hand and he set the locket aside to completely focus on the small scrap. Taking a few deep breathes, Hideaki braced himself and turned the scrap over.

He let out a disappointed sigh as he saw that the back of the scrap was as bare as the front had been. Sinking back in the couch, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't get any answers until they found Kai.

"Hey, who's this?"

Hideaki opened his eyes in surprise at how close Takao's voice sounded. Almost directly in front of him stood the bluenette holding the silver locket he had put down. The boy's question drew his friends to his side. Kenny peered around Takao and looked closely at the picture.

"Since that is Kai's locket, it would be safe to assume that this is his mother, Marya Hiwatari."

"Hmmm," Max looked thoughtfully over Takao's other shoulder. "Then who is H. H.?"

"What?" Hideaki sat up straight on the couch.

"H. H.," Max repeated. "It's carved into the opposite side of the locket."

Abruptly, Hideaki snatched the locket out of Takao's hands, ignoring the indignant 'hey.' His eyes searched the inside of the locket intently, looking for the engraved letters he had missed before. Sure enough, the inside of the locket that had been concealed by the blank scrap of paper had two, faint initials carved into it. H. H.

Closing his fist around the locket, Hideaki bowed his head over it. He had finally found his answer.

"Um, Houo-san?" Takao interrupted his thoughts. "We were hoping we could come home with you. You know, in case the police need to contact us, it would be easier if we were all together."

"Sure," Hideaki answered absently. "Sure."

In a daze, he led the 'Breakers out of the ICU. Hideaki was working on autopilot, his mind too overwhelmed to really understand what was going on around him. He was aware of Max informing the hospital staff and the police of where they would be. He knew Takao went to pick up their bags from the hotel. He only vaguely remembered the drive home. So he really couldn't be blamed for missing something pretty big.

If he had been a little more cognizant of what was going on around him, he might have figured it out. But he wasn't and so he didn't. The 'Breakers had made the decision that, since they couldn't depend on the cops to find their friends, they would do it themselves. Once they arrived at the Houo home, they would make a plan and go get Kai and Rei. And they weren't going to let anyone or anything stop them.

...tbc...

Well, this is definitely not my favorite chapter, but it was necessary. It shed a little more light on one puzzle and set the stage for one of my last twists. Hope you liked it.

**Special Thanks to:**

**Lilphoenixkd: **_giggles _Glad you enjoyed the chapter, but you haven't seen the end of my twists yet. Stay tuned it's a crooked path we wander ;P And I sort of liked Hedeon (evil bastard that he is)

**SchoolBoredom:** Thanks for the review, glad to have a fan till the end. Especially since the end is coming. Just a few more chapters and we'll know if I need to flee. ;) Sorry for the long wait, I hope you enjoyed this chappie, too

**MasterFranny:** Sorry, I haven't emailed, I tend to be not the best at staying in contact with people. Please do look me up if you're on msn messengering though, I'm trying to be a bit more available there. I just updated my services and they even give you a blog for free. So I'm attempting to blog. Pitiful, but true. I'm glad you liked the chapter. I agree that Hedeon deserves a more noteworthy death. _Giggles_ Stay tuned, maybe we'll both get our wish.

**Droopy1389: **_laughs _I did say it before, but, for you, I'll say it again…, no, this is not TaiKai or ReiKai, or any other pairing. I'm trying to stay true to the genre. You may see hints of any pairing you like, but this is not meant to be shonen ai. Your blonde is definitely showing through ;P

**Ellen: **_smiles_ Have I said how much I like your reviews? I'm sure I must have, 'cause I really do. I had a wonderful few holidays (sadly there've been a few since my last update, ne?) I hope classes are treating you better. I'm glad you are starting to like Hedeon and Marya. I don't think the villains ever think that they are the villains. I think you're right in that people do what they think is best and then everyone else makes judgments on it. Hedeon was a cruel bastard, but he did truly love Marya and so he hated those he thought hurt her. Marya was a frigid b…but she loved Kai and tried to show that love the only way she had been taught. With Votaire as her role model is it any wonder that Kai hated her. As for Black dranzer, I don't believe they will have any luck removing the claw. They really don't want to try since removing it will almost certainly cause Kai's death. Then again, can Kai survive leaving it in. Hmmm…the end is coming and we'll find out I guess.

**Kuja's**** Kittikat: **_laughs _thanks for going through the hardship of typing out a review _snickers_ that last chapter really was a doozy. Somehow, my stories start out with short chapters and each chapter they grow. . Strange

**Natasha-Li: **I'm glad it's starting to clear up for you. Really, that's what the final chapters are for. Now, I'll solve a few more mysteries, have a final climax, and it'll be all over. I'm a bit sad that I'm almost done ;.;

**Fey Phantom: **_sniffs happily_ Such a nice review. I'm happy you liked Kai baring his soul. The poor boy needed it, didn't he. I was a little worried about it, because it is so not in character for him to do it, but I tried to make it believable (I mean, the boy is dying, he won't get another chance, if he ever would, now would be the time.) I'm thrilled that you are enjoying my hidden clues. It's so fun to hide things and watch readers find them. It's almost like the rewards you find in a treasure hunt. I'm definitely having fun in my new home. It's a bit of a struggle, it's not _home_ after all, but it's still nice. Now that it's beginning to warm up, I'm looking forward to doing a little exploring :)

**Jixnce: **_laughs_ do you really want me to answer your question? There's just a little more of the story to go. You'll have to stick around to find out if I kill Kai and Rei or not.

**Becky: **_huggles_ welcome back. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I should have been finished by now, but you know how it goes. I'm close to done though, so come again and see how it ends. I did find the ship, or it found me, whatever, and it's nice to have my stuff back. Thanks again for the review

**Endoh**** Chiaki: **I hope life is treating you better. As for the title, sadly it is much simpler than you had guessed. I like the idea 'need to find his soul,' but the poor boys need to find him first ;P Thanks for the review, catch ya next chappie!

**Lena: **_laughing hysterically _I don't think I've ever seen a truer definition of pop-ups. They bug the hell out of me. Thank god for pop-up blockers.

**Lightdragon1987: **_smiles_ I'm just full of twists and turns. There are a couple more to come, I hope you enjoy them as much :)

**DarkWolf88: **Thanks for the midpoint review, I'll try to get that pic out to you. I hope you enjoy it, LaDiNi did a great job with it. Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying it. :)

**Midnight**** Insanity: **_laughs_ Well, you are actually pretty close to what's going on with your guesses. Voltaire is defiantely going to have something backfire on him and as for Black Dranzer and the claw, well, if the can't remove it, then….you'll have to wait and see. _Giggles_ Come back for the next chapter, you won't be disappointed.

**Lady Blade Dragon Priestess: **_laughing_ I'm amazed to find someone who hates KaiRei. Don't worry, it isn't. If you're seeing it then you need to have a talk with your own subconscious, because I'm writing them as friends (what you see is entirely up to you ;P) Good luck with that _giggles_ You know how I love to tease you

**Umi: **_smiles deviously_ Done enough to Kai? Are you kidding? Never! It the final hurrah, though, so I'm sorry to say it's coming to an end. For all the twists and turns to my story, it does have some classic elements to it. One of which is the final climatic event. Be prepared, it's coming

**Ashla: **_shifty eyes_ Am I too late for the cookies and Kai plushies? _Giggles_ I've been bad about my updates, sorry! I hope you did enjoy this chapter though. Yep, Voltaire took Rei and Kai. And yep, Voltaire shooting Hedeon only makes him more of a bad guy. But, never fear, evil is always done in by the evil it does. _Winks_ Stick around and you'll see what I mean

**Jae: **_glomps__ with breath smothering hug_ Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! My biggest fear is that I will move beyond what makes Kai, Kai. I love his character, so deep and multi-leveled, I'm so glad I'm still remaining true to it. Thanks! You definitely have some of the upcoming plot pegged. Kai is in a bind with Rei as a hostage, but Voltaire may have just bitten off more then he can chew. I doubt Kai will do exactly what his grandfather wants. Thanks again _giggles_ and see ya next chapter

**Krage: **I know, I'm being so mean to Kai. But one way or the other, it'll be over for him soon. _Mwahahahaha_

**Darkinuyasha: **_cowers from whip _How can I update when I'm having to run in terror from you? _Laughs_ Besides I'm not even in the story. It'll be up to the 'Breakers whether of not they get saved. Maybe they'll get help from an unlikely source? Hmm… who could I mean? _laughs_

**Chibi**** Kitty: **_smiles_ Don't worry about it, as you can see from the continuing chapters, that question keeps coming up. I'm so happy that you like the story so far. Sorry for the long update, but it's here now and I hope you enjoy it. Hopefully the next will be faster

**LaDiNi: **_giggles_ Don't worry, little imouto, you are not the only one who started to take a liking to Hedeon. He is reluctantly becoming liked by many (I'm so happy) And I think you saw wome little prophetic flash of the upcoming chapters. Voltaire will get what's coming to him, but I doubt kai will be in any state to triumphantly see it. Poor boy.

**Syaoran****-Lover: **_laughs_ Some fun ideas you have, but since I'm getting close to the end, I'm afraid you won't see them here. Sadly, Kai is going to suffer a bit more before it's over. He's the tragic hero, it's his job ;P But I think he's beautiful at it, ne? Thanks for the reviews, see you next chappie (of whatever I update first ;))

**Sorekai: **Update granted, and I'll send the pic when I can. Ja ne!

**Kiko**** Cat: **Beautiful and sad…just what I was hoping for. Thanks for the review.

**Kai-luver: **_giggles_ I don't even have a Hoover. _Laughs_ Thanks for the sweet comments. I'm glad you find it addictive, that wasn't even my worst cliffie (and there's a mean one ahead ;P) And don't worry, I would never treat anyone like I've been treating Hedeon. It's just too cruel; unrequited love, misshapen scarring, betrayal, etc, etc. Poor guy, do you think he has it worse than Kai _dodges rotten fruit_ No, I agree, Kai's had it worse

**Ghost: **:) ;) ;P _giggles_

**Kristy Himura: **Thank you for recommending my story to others. I'm quite proud of it and love reviewer feedback. Hope you continue to enjoy.

**Mrsalexwatkins: **Thanks for the review. I'll send the pic. Keep enjoying.

**ConRtist: **_giggles_ You're not as in the dark as you think. And don't worry, when this story is over, you can go over and read my other fics _wink-wink, nudge-nudge_

**Pharaoh17: **_laughs _It's okay, I know CPR. Of course, as long as it took me to update, maybe you went from a dying teenager to a dying elderly person. ;) Thanks for the great comments. This one chapter doesn't end on a cliffie, but the next couple might. ;) See you then and don't forget your heart medication

**Mith'quissir: **Updated! Mission accomplished

**Bibbs: **Oops _blushes_ It has been a while, hasn't it. Sorry! I'll try to be better. Thanks for the review

**Kai Hiwatari1: **As you can see, I updated, but unfortunately, you'll have to wait until next chapter to see what happens to Kai and Rei _insert evil laughter here_ I'm so mean, ne?

**Ktkt: **Now you wait patiently (I hope) while I finish this epic (length) story ;) Hope you enjoy!

Whoa, that was a lot. _Sniffs happily_ I love my reviewers!

Alright, we're getting close. I believe the final countdown is 3 chapters to go and counting. So close, I'm getting a bit anxious.

Thanks again for all who reviewed and please don't forget to leave a little light. The next chapter will be dark! Bring the Sun!

BTW, the next chapter will be…**A Lightless Corner**


	30. A Lightless Corner

**Plagiarism: **n 1: a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work 2: the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own

**Author's Note: (Please Read!) **Some of you may wonder why I have decided to define plagiarism instead of my usual disclaimer. I am quite upset to have to say this but it's because there are people who don't understand the difference between fanfiction, creating something from characters and ideas you like and taking no credit for them, and plagiarism, almost word for word copying of another person's hard work and claiming it as your own.

Perhaps, **lilphoenixtears**, you innocently didn't know the difference. Or perhaps you felt that I probably wouldn't look you up on another site. I happened to bump into your story on Mediaminer and couldn't help but notice that you were almost word for word using excerpts from chapter 26 of this very story in chapter 3 of yours. If you needed help in doing a convincing talk with a doctor and the 'Breakers, I would have been more than happy to help. You could have just asked me. I find it offensive that you abused my story in such a way.

A disclaimer tells the world that you are borrowing something, whether character or idea. We put a disclaimer into our stories because we want people to know who the marvelous people are that created the things we love and that inspire us. You took something that I have worked and stressed over and claimed it as your own.

While I thank you for your reviews, they in no way clear you of this deceit. Because I believe in giving people chances, I have not turned you in to the mediaminer site administrators. Here's your chance to clear your name. Delete that chapter, or redo it with **your own work. **If you do, I'll forget this and we'll move on. Everyone makes mistakes. If I don't see that happen, I will have no choice but to email the administrators of these fanfiction sites and inform them of your plagiarism. I believe I am being more than understanding and forgiving, but it may not last long so take heed.

For those of you who are innocent, I'm sorry to take up your time with this. I just wanted to explain what took me so long to update. When I saw the copied chapter, I was so angry, I just couldn't write anything without it being tainted by that negativity. Plus, it made me wonder if I should even bother continuing. What would be the point if people only use my stories to abuse these sites? But, I took some time and I know that none of you deserve to be punished for one persons unthinking act.

Thanks for bearing with me. Now, the standard issues and we'll get to the story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own these characters, this anime, or this wonderful song. I do however claim absolute credit for the characters I created and the story that I'm proud of.

**Warning: **Some minor violence and torture. Darkness. And…maybe? Death? ;)

Thanks again for the encouragement you give me. Please enjoy this new chapter!

**A World So Cool**

**Chapter XXX: A Lightless Corner**

The darkness closed around him. It was a deep darkness that was usually reserved only for nightmares. For a moment, the confused boy thought he might still be asleep. Rapidly, he blinked his crusty eyes, his breathe quickening as he realized that, no, it wasn't a nightmare and, yes, his eyes were indeed open. Dazed and more than a little frightened, he tried to move his hand in front of his face. That was when he realized that not only was he unable to see, but he was unable to move his arms as well. Cold steel encircled both wrists, restraining him against the wall behind him.

Panic threatened to overwhelm him as he struggled fruitlessly against his bonds. The sound of metal against metal and stone echoed in the cell. But despite his struggles, he couldn't win free. It was only when he felt the hot rivers of blood running down his arms that he finally gave up and collapsed back against the wall.

Worn out by his defeat against his chains, the boy forced his breathes to slow. He tried to find a meditative calm. It was obvious something was wrong, but he couldn't remember what had happened. His mind felt sluggish, as if his thoughts had gotten shaken up inside. He was having trouble pulling out the memories he wanted. It took one long breath to realize that he had been captured by someone and two more breathes before he remembered who had done it. Three breathes later, he realized that he had been drugged and that was what was making it so hard for him to think.

Hoping the drugs would wear off soon, he tried to gather as much information about his surroundings as he could. He knew that the cell he was being kept in was small because of the echoes he had heard in his struggles with the chains. And now that he had stopped his panicked struggles, the boy realized something else. He wasn't alone.

As his own breathing had calmed, he had begun to hear the sounds of a second person breathing somewhere in the darkness. It was faint, but there never-the-less. But there was something wrong, something that almost brought his panic back. Whoever was with him was struggling for air. Each inspiration seemed to take longer than it should, as if no matter how deeply the person inhaled, they would never get enough air. And each exhalation sounded almost like a sigh of defeat. But even more terrifying than the desperate breathes were the excruciatingly long pauses between them. They were long enough to make the boy worry each time that he wouldn't hear another breath.

_God, no!_

Even though the room was too dark to see, the boy knew who it was. It was a nightmare come to life.

"Kai!" The boy called out, hoping his friend would answer him. "Kai, it's Rei. Kai, answer me!"

There was no answer in the dark. Desperation drove him to try again to break free. It didn't matter to him that the cruel metal cut into his flesh or that he had already lost the battle once, all that mattered was reaching his friend hidden in the darkness. But try as he might, Rei couldn't break loose. He knew Kai was there, but his friend's form remained out of reach, hidden in the shadows. He was about to call out again when he heard an almost inaudible sound.

"re..rei…?"

The Chinese boy felt almost faint with relief at hearing his friend's voice. He didn't want to face the thought of losing one of his closest friends and hearing Kai's voice let him banish that fear, if only for just a little longer.

"I'm here, Kai," Rei called out to his team mate.

"...you hurt ...?"

"No," Rei almost smiled at the question. Kai was dragged from his hospital bed by his sociopath of a grandfather and his first question was to ask how Rei was doing. It seemed so uncharacteristic of something that Kai would actually say.

_No, that's not exactly true. I think he's always wanted to, but never allowed himself the luxury of appearing to care. He'd growl and threaten. He'd watch over us from afar, but he never would unbend enough to ask something like that. I wonder how long he's wanted to be able to ask something that simple. _

"I'm okay," Rei added, trying to keep from asking the pointless question 'are you alright?' to his friend. "Just a bit fuzzy and…um…sorta tied up at the moment." He tugged at his manacles to emphasize the point.

"hn"

While most wouldn't have considered Kai's grunt a reply, Rei took it for what it was. Kai was planning something. Unable to do anything himself, Rei leaned back against the cold wall and remained silent so Kai could think.

Strangely enough, the silence didn't last. A strange, low sound began to come out of the darkness in front of Rei. It sounded rough, but oddly muffled.

"Kai?" Rei's voice was hesitant, as if reluctant to draw the attention of whatever shared the dark with them.

"shh…"

The odd sound was coming closer. Rei wanted to call out to Kai again, but if Kai wanted him to remain quiet then he would trust his friend and do so.

"…fools…"

Kai's voice was low in the darkness, but Rei realized that he could hear it more clearly than before.

"…I'll teach them…not to…underestimate me…"

Even in the utter darkness, Rei felt a light go off in his head. He understood what the odd sound was. It was Kai. While Rei had been deemed a potential threat and shackled to the wall, Kai had been dismissed as too weak to worry about. It was something that the crimson eyed boy would be sure to take advantage of. Rei felt his eyes burn as he realized that what he had been listening to was the sound of his friend dragging his frail body across the floor in an attempt to reach and free him.

_They may have been right about the strength of his body, but they'll never understand his strength of will._

Rei wasn't sure how much time passed as he listened to the slow, agonizing progress of his team mate. He was sure that the cell wasn't very big, but in Kai's weakened state, it didn't really have to be. Then, abruptly, the muffled sound stopped. Rei opened his mouth to ask Kai what was wrong when he heard the same distant footsteps that had warned his team mate into silence.

"Rei," Kai's voice was barely audible. "don't say anything…don't do anything…to draw his attention…"

"But, Kai," Rei's voice was low, but insistent, as he tried to argue with his friend.

"no," Kai's cut him off harshly before adding in an almost pleading tone, "please…"

Rei didn't reply. By now the footsteps were close enough that any reply might be heard by the person approaching. Rei forced his body to relax and let himself hang limply from his restraints. Playing possum seemed the best option for the moment.

The footsteps stopped nearby and a brief glimpse of dim light broke through the darkness as a small, barred window opened in the cell door. Rei wanted desperately to look for Kai in that moment, but couldn't risk giving himself away. Trying to look out from under his eyelashes, Rei could only really see light and dark. But even though he only saw a shadow eclipsing the faint light from the window, he knew it must be someone looking in on them. The shadow remained blocking the weak light for a long moment, but whoever it was peering in at them didn't speak.

Finally, the heavy door creaked open, allowing Rei to see the faint moonlight that illuminated the corridor outside the cell. The dim light seemed to be trying to flow into the cell, but was blocked by an imposing silhouette that Rei recognized. Whether it was from the drugs, fear, or Kai's plea, Rei found himself speechless at the sight of Voltaire Hiwatari.

"Welcome home, my traitorous grandson," Voltaire sneered, stalking into the small cell with the moonlight following timidly at his heels.

Gambling that Voltaire was too busy taunting Kai to pay him any attention, Rei risked opening his eyes a little wider. When he could see a bit better, he knew he had been right. Voltaire was completely ignoring the Chinese teen as he strode towards his grandson. It was only when the gloating man stopped beside Kai that the pearly light spilled gently around his ankles and allowed Rei see his friend lying motionless on the cell floor.

Kai lay sprawled face down on the hard, stone floor, his right arm slightly ahead of him visible evidence of his attempt to reach his friend. The slate-haired blader was doing a fairly good possum imitation himself. The only movement from him was the trembling rise and fall of his chest as he struggled to breath.

Voltaire silently stared down at Kai and for a moment Rei thought he might actually believe their act and leave. His hope faded as a cold smirk spread across the man's face.

"Your homecoming could have been so different. If you had only followed my commands, you could have taken your place at my side." Voltaire taunted his grandson. "But you had to be stubborn, had to defy me like your mother did. Now the only place you belong is here, at my feet."

Voltaire slowly circled Kai's seemingly unconscious form like a hungry vulture. Despite the cruel taunts, though, Kai made no sign that he heard him. Rei remained silent as his friend had asked, warily watching his captor.

"What? No clever remarks? No sarcastic rejoinder?" Voltaire's voice was cool, almost inquisitive, as he calmly sent a vicious kick into Kai's unguarded ribs. "You're not fooling anyone, I know you're awake."

Rei clamped his mouth shut. He wanted to tell the old man off, but he didn't know what the after effects of that would be. It would be worse for Kai if the man decided to use them against each other. A sharp, metallic taste filled his mouth as he realized that in his attempt to keep from yelling at the man, he had bitten through his lip.

Unfortunately for Kai, the cruel blow had aggravated his already abused lungs. Curling instinctively into the pain of his spasming chest, Kai coughed fitfully. His entire body shook from the effort as he tried to subdue the coughing enough to catch his breath.

"Bastard," Kai coughed weakly, clutching his ribs.

Voltaire laughed harshly at Kai's reply. "There, that wasn't so hard was it? Things would have been so much easier, so much simpler, if you had just done as I told you to."

"Liar," Kai spat out, finally calming his cough. "With you,…nothing is ever…simple."

"You don't know how right you are, my grandson. Though your part in my plan was very simple, just to follow my every command, the overall scheme was much grander, much more complex.

"For 30 years, I've been plotting my revenge, planning every detail with painstaking care. Everything happened as I wished it; my wife, my daughter, and then there was you. You were the last step, the bait to catch a phoenix."

"Why?" Kai looked up at his grandfather from where he lay. "Why did you want… the phoenix?"

"Want it? I didn't want it, I deserved it!" Voltaire yelled down at Kai. "The phoenix should have been mine to begin with. I was denied it because the 'honorable' Houo family was too foolish to understand Mother's vision.

"Mother told me what happened, what they did to her. She told me about the phoenix; how she discovered it and the visionary plans she had to use its power. She told me how the phoenix attacked and disgraced her. And she told me how her fiancé and his family rejected her because of its cruel actions. Because of that family, she was cast out of her own clan and exiled from her home." Voltaire was warming to his subject and continued ranting, not paying any attention to either of his captives. "They had no right to betray her like that. They should have acknowledged her vision and helped her achieve it. If everything had gone the way it was supposed to, I would have been born into that family and been the rightful heir to the phoenix.

"I couldn't let that peasant family disgrace her like that. They didn't understand the full potential of the phoenix and, therefore, they were not worthy of it. I vowed to my mother that I would make them pay for shaming her. I promised to claim the phoenix and fulfill her dreams of conquest.

"And I almost did," Voltaire snarled at Kai, lashing out again to strike Kai in the abdomen. "I would have if you hadn't decided to betray me."

The force of the kick knocked Kai flat on his back. He wheezed and coughed as Voltaire stared down at him with eyes filled with hate.

"I guess I should have expected it of you, though," Voltaire deliberately stepped down onto Kai's chest, using the weight of his body to torment him. "It's in your blood."

Rei watched the scene in horror. Kai wasn't coughing anymore, but it was only because he could not even breathe. His eyes were wide open, staring at his grandfather as he desperately tried to draw air in. Kai's trembling hands grasped frantically at his grandfather's heavy foot, tearing vainly at Voltaire's boot and pant leg. With every passing second, those hands moved more fitfully until they were merely clawing weakly at the offending weight. Rei had had enough. No matter what Kai had said, no matter what the result might be, Rei couldn't stay silent any longer.

"Stop it!" Rei cried out, struggling a little to make some noise to draw Voltaire's attention away from Kai. "You're going to kill him."

"Kill him?" Voltaire laughed, turning his attention on Rei, but leaving his foot firmly planted. "That's the point. He's going to die anyways. I would think that you'd be happy to see that I'm speeding things up. Or would you rather see him die a slow, lingering death?"

"He's not going to die!" Rei shouted defiantly.

The tall man seemed surprised at Rei's audacity and glanced down at Kai as if to see what it was that the boy saw that made him believe that Kai would be alright. With just a look, Voltaire knew the Chinese teen was delusional. Kai's eyes were rolled back behind half closed lids, his hands twitching reflexively against the stone floor. With a heartless nonchalance, Voltaire lifted his foot from the trapped boy and stepped back.

As soon as the weight disappeared, Kai drew in a deep, shuddering breath before curling onto his side and dissolving again into helpless coughing. But while Rei watched him with concern, Voltaire completely ignored him.

"Of course he is," Voltaire said dismissively to the Chinese blader. "It is his only choice."

"Choice?" Rei asked, confused. "What choice?"

"He will die," Voltaire stated. "His only choice is what he plans to do with his death."

"What the hell does that mean?" Rei yelled in frustration. "I thought you needed him. You can't let him die! He's the only way you have of controlling the phoenix."

"No, I know my grandson and he will not obey me again." Voltaire smiled grimly at Rei. "Not even if I promised to free you. He would not trust me to free you and I would not trust him not to betray me. He has outlived any usefulness that he had held."

"doesn't matter," Kai' voice was harsh as he glared up at his grandfather. "…all that matters…you don't have…the phoenix."

"Your right," Voltaire replied calmly, "I don't have the phoenix, you do."

"But it won't do you any good, you're still going to die." Voltaire addressed his defiant grandson. "And understand this, my grandson, your friend will die shortly after you do."

Smiling cruelly at the two boys, he added tauntingly, "Unless you can do something to save him."

Without another word, he reached into his jacket and brought something out. But the deeper darkness surrounding Voltaire were enough to hide whatever it was from view. With a last, sharkish grin, Voltaire opened his hands wide, letting the mass of shadows in his palms fall to the stone ground in a loud clatter. Before the echo of sound stopped, Voltaire had stalked out of the cell, bolting the door shut behind him.

Whether out of some long-forgotten bit of kindness or just plain carelessness, he hadn't closed the blind of the small, barred window in the door. The dim light in the corridor brought a false twilight to the cell, giving the illusion of light where there was none. But it was just barely enough for the two bladers to see what Voltaire had left behind.

What they saw brought both comfort and fear. On the floor were three beyblades, scattered like a child's discarded toys. And while none of the blades were close enough to do Rei any good, one of the blades had fallen right next to Kai. The inky darkness of the blade stood out even in the almost lightless cell where it lay nestled in the curve of Kai's battered body. Its presence was an absence of light so complete that it could only be Black Dranzer.

Kai didn't even flinch away from the darkness that seemed to be taking shelter in him. He had no energy to waste on useless actions. Ignoring the blade, Kai closed his eyes and focused all his attention and energy on a way to free Rei and escape his grandfather's clutches.

Rei didn't share his friend's apparent calm. Just seeing the blade that had brought so much harm to his friend made him want to snatch the black blade up and throw it as far from Kai as he could. He wanted to scream obscenities at the top of his voice at the unfairness of it all. But he didn't do either. Like Kai, Rei understood the importance of restraint. While he waited for the last echo of footsteps to fade away, he tried to think of something, anything, he could do.

"Kai?" Rei's voice finally crept into the darkness long after the echoes from the corridor faded away. He waited for a response, but didn't get one. "Everything will be okay, Kai. Our friends will find us and we'll get you back to the hospital. No matter what that bastard says, neither of us is going to die here."

Kai didn't speak. He knew Rei was trying to reassure him, but it sounded so empty.

_I can't just lay here and wait for everything to turn out alright. If I do that, we will both die. I can't let Rei die because of me. I couldn't bear the responsibility of another death. And I can't let Grandfather win. There has to be a way._

Kai lifted his head up to look around the cell. As he looked towards Rei, he saw a small blade the color of the night sea laying about two feet out of his reach. After searching further, he finally spotted a faint white spot near the door of the cell. Drigger was too far away for him to get to, but Kai knew he could force himself the short distance he would need to cross to reach Dranzer.

_Besides myself and Rei, the only things in this cell are the chains restraining Rei and the three beyblades. I can't use the chains since they're attached to the wall and I don't have the strength to reach Drigger. That means that my only resources are Dranzer and Black Dranzer._

Kai reached tentatively towards the black blade that held the dark spirit. He stopped a hairsbreadth away from the blade, not wanting to touch it, but not willing to accept defeat because of it. Even without touching it, Kai could feel the miasma of malice radiating off of the blade. It was like standing close to a whirlpool, he could feel the waves of need and hunger battering at him, trying to draw him in.

_I can't use it. Even if I had the strength to call Black Dranzer, I wouldn't be able to control it. It'd destroy everything, even Rei._

Rei released the breath that he hadn't been aware he was holding as he watched Kai's hand draw back away from the dangerous spirit. He didn't have any ideas on how they could escape, but he wasn't willing to even consider the idea of using Black Dranzer.

"…has to be…a way…," Kai breathed determinedly.

"Yes," Rei agreed with his friend, "we'll find a way to get out. Just,…not with Black Dranzer. Okay? It's too dangerous, he's too dangerous. He shouldn't even exist."

_Shouldn't exist? But he does. He can't even be destroyed, the phoenix can't be killed. Not really._

That dark thought brought forward the memories of Dranzer's birth, something he had tried so hard to forget. For, while a birth is usually something joyous, the birth of a phoenix is forever doomed to be tainted with grief. Dranzer was born out of the emotional firestorm that accompanied his best friend Ran's death. But this time the memory brought more than the overwhelming grief that he had become accustomed to, it also brought a small thread of hope.

'_His only choice is what he plans to do with his death.'_

Kai looked to where his partner, Dranzer lay, just out of reach.

'_Unless you can do something to save him.' _

And suddenly, Kai knew what he needed to do.

He hadn't understood when Ran died, but his time in the hospital had shown him the truth of the phoenix's death and rebirth. The secret to its immortality was in its bond with its partner. Kai had always seen their bond as a channel linking their spirits like a stream between two pools of water. It allowed them to share their thoughts and feelings freely, for neither ever attempted to keep anything secret from the other.

But that bond had changed recently. When Kai had awakened in the hospital he had felt an increased strength to their bond. It was as if the channel had been widened, allowing the small stream to turn into a swift river. Kai had realized that to bolster his failing strength, Dranzer had deepened their bond and was unselfishly sharing his own. Each day as Kai grew weaker, the channel grew deeper. Even now, in the lightless cell, Kai could feel Dranzer's strength and friendship pouring into him like a raging river.

Kai knew that what he and Dranzer shared was special. Just as Ran and Zephyr's bond had been. The phoenix had many partners throughout its existence, but it was only about one in a hundred of them that had become the truest friends; a friend that was worth living, and dying, for.

Because of their deepening bond, Kai instinctively knew what Dranzer would do if he died. And therefore he knew what Zephyr had done for Ran. When Ran was in pain, Zephyr had deepened their bond to give him strength and comfort. As Ran died, the phoenix tore the bond wider until the bond was gone. Or rather, until there were no barriers, no separation, between the two. The phoenix couldn't prevent Ran's death, so it had done the only thing it could. It brought the dying soul into itself so that Ran wouldn't die alone.

The emotions and sensations of death were a psychic firestorm, burning so intensely that even the phoenix would be consumed in them. When the fires burned down and the storm passed, the newborn phoenix would emerge from the ashes of the two souls.

The knowledge of Dranzer's birth gave Kai the plan he so desperately needed.

_It's the only way. If I do this, I can destroy the threat of Black Dranzer and at the same time, give Rei the power he needs to break free. It has to work!_

Rei had been waiting, hoping inspiration would strike him. Or that their friends would come, either would have been okay with him. And he knew that Kai had been doing the same. But because of the shadows, he hadn't been able to read the slate-haired boy's face. That was why it shocked him so much when his friend suddenly tensed and grabbed Black Dranzer.

"Kai, what are you doing?" Rei's voice held fear that Kai might have decided to use the evil spirit after all.

"…'s o'k…," Kai absently muttered a reply as he concentrated on his next goal. Cradling Black Dranzer against his body with his right hand, Kai reached forward with his left arm towards his blue blade. Moving with none of the grace he was legendary for, Kai dragged his body forward several inches.

Seeing Kai moving towards his own blade, Dranzer, reassured Rei slightly, but it still didn't clear up all of his apprehensions. Kai was planning something and, since Kai never seemed to be concerned about his own welfare, Rei was worried about what exactly his plan was.

Kai ignored the waves of concern coming from his friend and reached forward to pull himself across the stones another few inches.

"…shit…," Kai was less than pleased with his progress.

Rei watched his fiend's slow progress without comment. He wanted to ask Kai what his plan was, but he could see that Kai was completely focused on his task. As weak and fatigued as he was, all Kai could concentrate on was the movements he needed to make to reach his blade.

_Almost…just a little farther…_

Kai's world narrowed until the only thing on his mind was forcing his muscles to act. The rhythm of his body moved in tandem with the focused chant of his will.

_Reach your arms out. Brace against the floor. Tense your abdomen. Push with you legs. Pull your body forward. Reach. Brace. Tense. Push. Pull. Reach…_

Kai was so intent on dragging himself forward that he didn't even realize how far he had gone until his outstretched arm brushed against his blade. The relief of finally reaching his goal was enough to jar him out of the self-induced trance he had fallen into. Gently sweeping the blue blade up in his hand, Kai held Dranzer close. He smiled faintly as he felt the cool metal become warm in his grasp. There was no doubt that Dranzer was as happy to see Kai as Kai was to see him. With both blades sheltered against his body, Kai allowed himself a full minute to rest.

It was one long minute to let the stress pour from his abused muscles and sink away into the cold stone beneath him. One cherished minute to treasure the warmth of his friend and partner. One short minute to think of everyone that cared about him. One final minute to admit to himself that he cared about them, too.

And then that peaceful minute passed. Rolling onto his back, Kai let his hands fall to either side of his body. He looked to his right hand and saw Black Dranzer. The black blade had an air of expectation, the spirit within seeming to understand that something important was about to occur. The black phoenix didn't care if the event might be termed 'happy' or 'sad,' it was anxious, eager, for any experience that might give its existence meaning.

Letting his head fall to the left, Kai smiled faintly to see the blue blade that held his partner, Dranzer. The bright phoenix was resigned. Because of their deep bond, the phoenix knew his partner's thoughts almost before Kai did. He knew Kai's plan and his reasoning and, while he wished he could contest Kai's decision, he also knew there was no other option.

_Dranzer?_

_--I'm here, Kai--_

_You understand what I want to do?_

_--Yes, but I don't like it. There are too many things that could go wrong.--_

Kai couldn't refute Dranzer's statement. He knew his plan had risks, but he still thought it was worth trying.

First, he'd tear down the barriers he had erected between himself and Black Dranzer. He had built them in the hospital, using precious strength in an attempt to block the pull of the dark phoenix. But the walls weren't perfect. Even now, he could feel his power trickling out of him like water through cracks in a dam. It was because of those leaks that he knew that Black Dranzer had been trying to force the channel between them wider. When the barrier fell, Kai knew that Black Dranzer would try to consume his spirit just as it had the other guardian spirits that it had battled.

But Kai didn't plan on letting the evil spirit take him. He planned to fight the black phoenix, turning the battle into a kind of psychic tug-of-war. Only he would be the one that would win. With Dranzer's support, he planned on pulling the dark spirit into himself. He hoped that by taking the evil phoenix into his own soul, he could prevent it from being reborn.

And in case that didn't stop it, he had a second part to his plan. Dranzer would be his trump card. Because of how Black Dranzer had been a constant drain on his power, Kai fully expected that drawing Black Dranzer into himself would result in his immediate death. And it was at that exact moment that his partner would act. As Kai died, Dranzer would tear their bond asunder and bring Kai into himself. Black Dranzer would have no power because he would merely be a small part of Kai which would disappear completely when Dranzer was consumed and reborn in the firestorm of Kai's death.

If it worked, the best case scenario would be that the new phoenix would choose Rei as its partner and with its power, Rei could break free. At worst, it would eliminate the threat of Black Dranzer from the world.

_It's a good plan._

_--I don't think a good plan should end with, 'And then we die.'--_

_Alright, maybe it's not a 'good' plan, but it's all I've got. Besides we don't die, not really._

_--No, Kai, we _will_ die. Really. The newborn phoenix will carry your strongest memories and emotions, but it won't be you. You will be dead. Just like I will be dead.--_

_I know, Dranzer. I'm sorry. You don't have to die, you know. I think that my taking Black Dranzer in should be enough to prevent his rebirth. Instead of burning in my death, you could cut yourself off from me. You could stay with Rei. When the others rescue him, they can return you to your family._

_--I don't think we can count on 'should.' If something goes wrong, you could be trapped eternally in that dark spirit. The chances of ridding the world of that corruption are better if I am consumed with you. Besides,…you are my family, Kai. I won't leave you to die alone.--_

_Thank you. I guess that means that there's just one last thing I need to do._

Kai opened his eyes and looked over to where Rei was chained to the wall. His journey to his beyblade had brought him closer to his friend, but he was still not close enough to reach him. Rei's face was hidden in the shadows, but Kai didn't need to see it to know it was full of concern for him.

"Kai? Did you come up with something?" Rei asked when he saw Kai's eyes open. He had the advantage in that the dim twilight fell on Kai where he lay, letting him see his friend more clearly.

Kai didn't answer him immediately. For a long time he simply lay there, watching Rei and forcing his lungs to draw air. When he felt he had gained as much strength as he could, Kai was ready to talk.

"I didn't…" Kai looked away from Rei into the shadows, "…didn't want…your friendship…"

Rei was hurt to hear Kai's words, but he didn't say anything. He could see that Kai wasn't finished yet.

"didn't…" Kai continued laboriously, "didn't ask…for it…"

Kai finally returned his gaze to Rei, "…thank you…."

Kai's lips turning up in a shy smile; the first and only open smile Rei had seen. Normally, Rei would have felt happy to see that small smile, to hear that simple phrase, but now all he felt was fear. He knew that there was more to it. The words may have been 'thanks,' but the deeper meaning had been 'goodbye.'

* * *

But Rei wasn't the only one to hear Kai's words and understand their hidden meaning. In a dark room hidden away from prying eyes, a cruel man watched the scene unfold with a triumphant grin.

Voltaire had set the stage well and everything was going as it should. With his carefully chosen taunts and apparently negligent return of their beyblades, he had manipulated Kai into taking the path that he desired. And once the cell door was bolted shut, Voltaire had returned swiftly to his private monitoring room. He knew no one would disturb him there.

This was his final option and he had taken steps to ensure it would succeed. When he had returned to the compound with his two captives, he had immediately deposited them in the underground cell and dismissed his staff. He didn't really need his scientists or enforcers for the two children. Only one guard had remained, Miki, to watch over the cell while he took care of the police he had known would come.

And come they had. It had been child's play for him to handle them. Voltaire had played the concerned guardian, so eager to help in any way he could. He had led the police through the entire house, upstairs and down, insisting they look everywhere. Even in the small closet under the stairs. By that time, they were tired and just giving things a cursory examination. They never suspected that the small closet had a hidden door with an electronically coded access that led to his secret complex of rooms.

Once the police had left to pursue 'more viable' leads, Voltaire had gone down to check on his captives. Since he didn't need Miki to watch them anymore, he sent the enforcer to the upper levels to guard the house that was camouflage for the complex. With only himself and the two captives below ground and Miki guarding them from above, Voltaire was confident in his privacy. He didn't even bother with the main monitors that showed the camera views from the main corridors and rooms. Instead, he was in his private room. It was the room that he used to monitor the important rooms, such as the labs, training rooms, and cells in the complex. In the soft glow from the monitors, he could watch his grandson's death in comfort.

"I knew you'd play the martyr," Voltaire spoke to the monitor before him.

When Kai had ruined Voltaire's scheme, he had been forced to change to his back-up plan. It wasn't as elegant and held more risk of an unfavorable outcome, but Voltaire believed in his right to triumph and, therefore, he knew that his victory was at hand.

How could he lose? It was preposterous. He had planned for every eventuality, even this one. Because, almost four years ago, in the very seat he sat in today, he had watched the birth of Dranzer. And he fully intended to see the birth of his new phoenix there as well.

When he had developed this fail-safe plan years ago, he had determined that there were three possible outcomes. Some were better than others, but all were workable. First off, that Kai's death could lead to the rebirth of both spirits. In that instance, Voltaire believed he could claim Black Dranzer as his own. In its resurrection, the phoenix would be built out of Kai's soul, his blood. Voltaire's blood. It would give him the bond that he had been previously lacking with the bit beast.

Now if only one phoenix rose from the ashes, there was the possibility that it might choose to break ties with the Houo family and choose a new master. If that was the case, Voltaire would either make sure it chose him, or he would enslave the one that it chose.

Tapping the screen with his finger, Voltaire contemplated the Chinese boy that was speaking so frantically to his grandson.

"Kai is a lost cause, a broken toy. Threats, promises, pain, none of it could control him any longer. But you, my boy, you may think you are strong, worldly even, but you don't know anything. My grandson may think he can save you, but if you try to claim the phoenix then you will become my new tool. I think I'll quite enjoy breaking you to my will."

The third option was the worst. If the phoenix was reborn but stayed loyal to the Houo family, there was only one thing Voltaire could do. He would keep the beast imprisoned and offer it a deal, choose Voltaire or watch everyone in his bloodline die. He didn't think he'd have to kill more than 5 or six of the Houo clan before the beast would acquiesce. But if he had to, he was ready. He had already hired detectives to track down anyone who might have a drop of the Houo blood in their veins

With his strategies in place, he sat back, content to watch his private performance unfold before his eyes.

* * *

"Kai, what are you planning?" Rei asked urgently. "Kai, please, whatever it is, you don't have to do it."

Kai didn't answer. In fact, he had stopped paying attention to Rei completely. He didn't hear Rei beg him to wait for their friends. He didn't see the tears that fell from those familiar amber eyes. Instead, Kai reached into himself and let Dranzer enfold him like a warm blanket on a cold, winter night. His soul took comfort in the heat as Kai turned his attention to his right hand.

It felt like he had plunged his hand through the icy surface of a frozen pond. As ready as he'd ever be, Kai focused his will on barrier he had built to separate him from Black Dranzer. It was time for his last battle. With a harsh scream that echoed in his mind like a war cry, Kai threw his power at the barrier. It shattered like ice beneath him, leaving only Dranzer's strength to keep him from sinking completely into the bone-chilling cold.

Rei couldn't see Kai's desperate act, but the evidence of the battle that followed was more visible.

Talking non-stop, Rei had tried to dissuade Kai from whatever self-destructive path he seemed to have chosen. But Kai hadn't responded to him. The crimson-eyed teen had been so still and silent that Rei had actually jumped when Kai suddenly screamed aloud.

As if heralded by the scream, flames spun up around Kai. Both red and black flames swirled around the prone form, fighting for territory. Both spirits seemed determined to claim possession of the boy that had called to them.

---tbc

_trying to look innocent_

So, was it worth the wait. g_iggles_ Now, remember, you can't complain about where this is going. I've told you since the beginning. Don't believe me? Read the story summary again. I change the quote with every new chapter, but the basic summary stays the same. I did warn you it would come to this. _Laughs evilly_

I'm getting to the end and I hope everyone is ready for it. I will try to be better about updating, but no promises on speed. I only promise that it will get done. Sooner or later ;P

Thanks to everyone that reviewed, and even those that didn't. Please come again.

**Special Thanks to:**

**Lady Blade Dragon Priestess: **alix- ? You're confused? You question confused me Sons of brothers of sons. I'm not even going to try to answer that. I would advise reading through the story from the beginning and if you still don't get it, you'll find out in two chapters ;) sami- this mermaid is innocent. And as you can see, Rei's in danger, but I'm not killing him yet. You'll just have to live with it. ;P ed- hey, I only have to deal with them a little, you have my pity, you live with them _laughs_

**Lilphoenixtears: **

**DarkWolf88: **Thank you for the praise. Sorry it was so long between updates. But I'm sure the suspense from this chapter is worse, ne? I'm glad you liked LaDiNi's pic. She did a fantastic job! Hope you liked this one, you'll have to wait and see though to find out what happens to Kia.

**Mith'quissir: **_smiles _I'm happy you're enjoying it. Stick around to find the end.

**SchoolBoredom: **_giggles_ You got it. One mystery solved, just a few more to go. God, I hope I can wrap this up well. Thanks for your patience, I hope it is well rewarded.

**Jello-Is-Evil: **Heaps cool? _Laughs_ I'm glad you like it. I'm trying to answer question, but I do still seem to be bringing up more questions at the same time, don't I. Guess it's a bad habit I developed. Oh, well, guess you'll have to stick it out with the rest of us if you want all the answers ;)

**Gasara: **_smiles_ Yep, tension, suspense, it's all there. I hope you like this chapter with just Rei and Kai. Sorry that Rei didn't have a more active role, but he's a bit tied up at the moment. ;)

**Droopy1389:** _returns huggles_ Thanks! And don't hurt yourself turning on the computer or anything, _blondie_ ;P j/k As for the locket, it's silver because traditionally silver is mre enduring than gold. On a side note, have you ever read the original Wizard of Oz? It's a political story, written in the days when the American people were trying to decide between using gold or silver to back up the paper money. The author thought silver was better (btw, the ruby slippers were not 'ruby', they were silver). Dorothy follows the 'yellow brick road' (gold) and it basically leads her on a fool's quest when all she needed to get home were her silver shoes. Interesting, ne? I know it's a bit off subject, but cool non-the-less.

**Howling Fury:** _giggles_ Nope, that's not a threat, but I appreciate the effort ;) As you can see, Kai is still alive at the beginning of the chapter _laughs_ and that's all I'm saying. I do seem to put my main characters in a world of hurt, don't I? I can't help it, I love them so. Catch you next chappie!

**Ellen: **Sorry you had such a hard time of it with school. I hope you're having fun now though, summers are what make school bearable. Yep, we're getting close to the end. I won't tell you if I'm taking the easy or hard way out at the end. As for Hideaki, I thought I was actually clearing things up, not making it more complicated. _Laughs _Don't worry though, he's not a red herring. I hope you liked this chapter, we're at the climax. Who do you think will come out alive? ;)

**HimekoSukie: **yep, 12 hours isn't very long. Especially when Kai decides to gamble with the time he has left. He has to make everything harder, doesn't he? Poor Kai, doomed in life and death. Can he survive? Even I don't know _lying through teeth_ And if I did _I do, by the way_ I wouldn't tell. I'm so mean, ne?

**Mrsalexwatkins: **No, no, thank you. Sorry for the long waits. I know they are frustrating. Buck up, I'm almost done and then you won't have to wait for me any longer.

**Lunar Fire: **_smiles_ I'm glad you liked the character development. I try to keep things moving along even if not every chapter is heart-poundingly exciting. Stick around if you want to find out what awaits Kai and Hideaki.

**Jae: **_hugs _I know I've said it before ;) but I love your reviews. I'm thrilled that it is moving along well. As for your question, I did plan things out in advance. Not every detail though. For instance the image of Black Dranzer as the void came up as I was writing it. But throughout the story, the main plot points have stayed the same. I can't really think of any changes that I have made in relation to reviewers comments, but it is the reviewers that keep me going sometimes. Thanks for taking the time to bolster my ego and keep me trucking on. :)

**Lightdragon1987: **_giggles_ Yeah, it's a bit unbelievable, even to me. It should be done in two more chapters, but there might be one more just to wrap up loose ends. I'll have to see how it plays out. Wish me luck.

**MasterFranny: **Thanks for the great review. I'm so happy you liked the pic, LaDiNi is a fantastic artist. I wish I could send you a pic of Ran, but I'm really not a good artist myself. Maybe I can bully LaDiNi into creating a new pic for me :) Please feel free to send me any pics you want to. I love seeing other peoples images. And don't worry about being confused, you got it. Voltaire is the one that killed Kai's mom. He's a real bastard, isn't he. I haven't written the side story I was thinking about. I'm so far behind in the two stories I'm writing, I didn't want to take on another right now. Maybe when this one is finished. We'll see. Catch you next time.

**Syaoran-Lover: **_giggles_ Yep, the 'Breakers are definitely acting a bit hasty. But can you blame them? I think they hate chapters without Kai in them, too ;) I hope this chapter raised your worry threshold to at least as high as Happy Birthday. _Smiles_ Don't worry though, that's my next focus. Just had to get this one out.

**LaDiNi: **_giggles hysterically_ you sure have a ton of questions. I'll help you with what I can. As for Voltaire staying in Japan…He had to. The poor villain doesn't have any more places to run, his compound in Russia was burned to the ground. He's a rich villain, but there are only so many secret complexes that a man can build and maintain secrecy on. Your next few questions, I won't answer here, it'll be in the story. ;P Hedeon is another interesting question. No, in case you are wondering, I didn't forget about him. You are right, there was no body at the scene. Want to guess what that means? You don't have to. I'll tell you next chapters. And the 'scream' was short and with Miki in the halls keeping everyone away, no one was close enough to hear it. Did that answer everything? Oh, did you read MasterFranny's reviewer thanks? What do you think? Want to collaborate on bringing Ran to life? Let me know. :)

**Bloody Crimson Tears: **_teases mercilessly _Where's your heart now? Have I moved it back to your throat or ripped it out completely ;P Hope you enjoyed the suspense in this chapter. Stick around for the last few chapters.

**Storm-of-insanity: **_blushes shamefully _Sorry about that. I have gotten into the bad habit of long delays between chapters. My bad. I'm glad you like it, though. Thanks for the praise. I'm always so happy to find my story reeled in a new reader. I hope you like the pic, too. I'll try to sneak by you fic, forgive me if it takes me a while to get there. I don't have a lot of time to read, much less to write these days.

**Silverpheoswitch0.459: **Alright everyone, in unison, 'Hi, Silverpheoswitch0.459' _laughs_ Welcome aboad, I'm glad you couldn't wait. I love reviews. Thanks for the compliments. And I'm thrilled you decided to try Naruto, I hope you are enjoying it. I have to admit, I haven't watched it recently because Sasuke seems to be out of action for a while _sniffles pitifully_ But it's still a fun series anyways. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, catch you next time.

**Bibbs:** Hook, line, and sinker, ne? It's getting to be time to reel this baby in. I'm almost done, bear with me and we'll get there eventually.

**Kiko Cat: **_laughs _Okay, I updated. And don't worry, it wasn't Kai's blood. Don't forget that Voltaire shot Hedeon in the room. That would leave quite a stain, ne?

**Midnight Insanity:** All computers are evil, it's a fact of life. H.H. Who could Kai's father be? Okay, I'll spill, It's me…_cue dramatic music_ Haruka Hana _laughs hysterically. _Forgive me, I truly didn't plan that, I just noticed it myself. Well, now you know where they are. Do you think the others can find them? I don't think so myself, not unless they get help from someone. Come back and find out.

**Aishizu2: **Nya, You got it. I have hinted it, but never fear, I will state it in another chapter. Thanks for joining us. I always love new reviewers, nya. Catch you next chapter, nya?

**Destiny Kitty: **_smiles happily _Thanks for the reviews. _Laughs _I loved your review. Sorry to disappoint you with not having it done when you were ready for it ;P But hey, you can't think you can luck out when everyone else is suffering, now can you? I'm so happy you liked my twists so far; Hedoen and Votaire, Marya's death, Black Dranzer's talon killing Kai. There are still more to come, you don't know the entire truth yet. You are right about the three 'Breakers and Hedeon coming to the rescue, but I think it will come down to two bit beast, not 5. And you know Kai, no way is he going to wait for someone to rescue him. I know Rei wants to, but Kai may not let him. Come back and find out. _Giggles_ I'm such a dreadful tease, aren't I? You better hope so. _Mwahahaha_ BTW, hope you liked the pic. Oh, and thanks for the song suggestions. I like using music as inspiration. You should check out my Digimon fic, I use a different song for each chapter. Sadly, I haven't been on vacation, just working hard as always. I'll try to be better about updating next time.

**Valdrein: **_laughs _I agree, it's nice to see him finally figure it out. Poor guy wasn't really dumb per say, just completely clueless. Well, it wasn't a quick update, but hopefully it's a good one. Let me know what you think. Ja ne!

**Bloodstar: **Yeah! Kept another one up all night. I love a story that draws me in and keeps me up. I'm so thrilled to hear that you felt that way about mine. Thank you for the high praise. It's so good to know that the effects I'm trying to create are working. I know what you mean about Hideaki. Once you see it you are in agony to make someone else see it. _Giggles _Beware, shameless plug approaching. That agony of wanting to shake a character to make them see what is so obvious is a central theme in the other fic I'm currently working on. It's so much fun to do. I hope you liked this chapter as much. Catch you next chappie.

**Kat R. Fair:** _smiles_ I hope you are still happily jumping in anticipation. Rei's caring and Voltaire's scheming are growing by the minute. I sense trouble on the horizon, don't you? Stick around and see what happens to are poor, cute bishies.

**Kai Hiwatari1: **Thanks for the review. Hope you liked this chapter, too.

**Fire Falcon: **Thanks you. I'm glad you find the story enjoyable. Stay around, I'm almost done.

**Shadowy Bey-gurl: **Thanks for the review. Glad you like the story. Hope you like the pic.

**Fey Phantom:** Here you go, ignore away. It's nice to take a vacation from life with a fun story, ne? Yep, it's all rapidly coming to a head. Thanks for the review. Don't worry about the delay with it, obviously I'm a bit slow these days too. Hope you liked this one, too. Catch you later!

**Redemberx: **_laughs_ Glad you liked it. The good thing about coming to the story late is you don't have to wait as long as everyone else for the end to come, ne? Thanks for the review. Catch you next time.

Whew, that took a bit of time. Thanks!

So you know, the next chapter will be, **Safer and Calmer.**

Only, it probably won't be. g_iggles_ Not right away. _Mwahaha_


	31. Safer and Calmer

**Disclaimer:** I own neither song nor anime. I do claim credit for this story idea. And sadly, I have to claim responsibility for all the dead fans that starved to death waiting in front of their computers for this chapter.

**Warning:** Macabre scenes, copious use of blood, and death. (still want to read it?)

**Author's Note: **Wow, didn't realize how long I had dropped off the face of the planet. Sorry about that, I'd tell you where I've been, but then I'd have to kill you. And then who could I get to give me pretty reviews. I'd say more, but you probably already skipped over this two sentences ago, so I'll just wish you happy reading and see you at the end. Oh, by the by, this chapter is neither safer nor calmer ;P

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXXI: Safer and Calmer**

Hideaki had always thought that profanity was something that the illiterate or poorly educated used because they didn't know any better. Hideaki himself rarely swore. He could read and write both Japanese and English, and even knew a smattering of Russian from what he had picked up when his nephew was studying the language. But now he found himself using that wealth of knowledge in a way he had never thought he would. Cursing fluently in three tongues, he tore through the woods that separated his home from the chateau next door. To his credit, he wasn't directing the growing profanity at the three boys who had snuck out. He was angrier with himself for not seeing what they had planned.

They had arrived home from the hospital at about two o'clock in the morning. Takao, Max, and Kenny had been silent for the entire drive back, but Hideaki had expected that. He had thought that it was a silence brought on by worry and grief; completely understandable since Kai's life seemed to depend on a rapidly diminishing period of time. He hadn't realized how wrong he was until he went to check on the boys around 3am and found their sleeping bags empty. That was when he understood that the silence had been determination and had immediately known where they had gone.

He hadn't bothered getting dressed, merely slipped on his shoes and raced out in his yukata. Hoping he wasn't too far behind them, he raced through the small woods that separated his home from the chateau. Only when the lights from the chateau appeared through the branches did he slow his approach, moving quietly until he came to the last line of trees. From his sheltered spot, he could see the back of the house. Or more importantly, he could see the small silhouette that was standing in the open doorway.

A quick scan of the grounds proved the area to be clear and Hideaki wasted no time closing the distance to the open door. He moved so quickly and silently that Kenny let out a sharp squeal of surprise as Hideaki seemed to appear out of thin air beside him.

"Where are the others?" Hideaki spoke in a low undertone, peering around the boy to look for defenders inside. The open doorway revealed an empty kitchen with three entrances leading further into the house; a door to the right, one to the left, and a narrow spiral staircase that probably served as a servant's entrance to the upstairs.

"Inside. They told me to stay here and be the lookout." Kenny answered, looking pale and nervous.

"Any sign of anyone?"

"I haven't seen anyone, b... but…" Kenny stuttered. With a shaky hand, he gestured forward and brought Hideaki's attention to a smear of blood that could be easily seen on the banister of the spiral stairway. "Takao and Max decided to follow…that…"

"They followed the blood upstairs?" Hideaki clarified Kenny's hesitant statement.

Kenny's only reply was a shaky nod of affirmation.

Hideaki closed his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. _Of course, they would have to follow the _blood trail. It's o_nly logical for a couple of teenagers to go into a bad guy's house and start wandering around where said bad guys are probably just waiting around every corner to hurt them, or worse._

"No choice then," Hideaki muttered to himself as he looked at the trembling brunette beside him. "Stay behind me and stay close. We have to find the others before they get into more trouble then they can get themselves out of."

Kenny gave another shaky nod and followed Hideaki as he cautiously climbed the narrow stairway. When they where almost at the top of the stairs, Hideaki held his hand up to tell the boy behind him to stop. It was too dangerous to risk speaking, so he hoped the boy would obey his obvious gestures and not say anything. He was pleased to see that Kenny stopped immediately and ducked low on the step behind him. Hideaki pressed himself against the wall so that he could look around the corner at the top of the stairs to see if there was anyone laying in wait for them. He let out the breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he saw that his precautions had been unnecessary. The hall ahead was dark and empty of both the children he was tracking and any potential enemies.

Signaling Kenny that they were moving again, Hideaki continued forward into the hall. He ignored the closed doors on either side of them and when Kenny hesitated near one gave the boy an abrupt head shake to tell him to keep moving. He didn't know what was behind the doors, but he knew by the amount of dust around them, and the fact that the trail of blood spatters continued past them, that they did not contain what he was looking for. They had almost reached the front of the hall where the main staircase lay, when Hideaki tracked the blood to an open door on the left.

Once again, Hideaki motioned for Kenny to wait while he scouted ahead. Immediately, he noted that the trail not only entered, but also exited the room. But rather than skipping past the room and resuming his tracking, he hesitated. He was curious to see why the injured person had entered that particular room.

Looking at the macabre scene from the doorway, Hideaki felt a shiver run down his spine. The room beyond looked innocent enough at first glance; a large bed with a comfortable chair beside it, a dresser, two night stands, and even an inviting window seat. Everything was in rich, welcoming hues of scarlet and gold. But as you looked more closely, the darker red stains of blood began to stand out against the scarlet shades of the bed and carpets. The red on red struck Hideaki almost physically. He felt like he was trapped in some sort of horror story. The heavy silence, the trail of fresh blood, and the fear about what the trail might lead to all made him want to turn around and leave before things could get worse. But he couldn't leave, not yet, not until he found what he was looking for.

Instead he pushed himself to look beyond the startling blood splatters and try to make sense of what he saw. Scanning the room intently, Hideaki saw that the trail led to the empty bed and then across to the window seat before returning to the doorway. But no matter how much he studied the room before him, Hideaki couldn't figure out the significance of it.

With no answers forthcoming in the room before him and knowing that he was, quite literally, on a deadline, Hideaki swallowed his uneasiness and turned away to the task at hand. He gave a quick head nod to Kenny where he had been hiding in the shadows of the door frame afraid to see beyond the doorway and the small brunette fell into step behind Hideaki as he moved away from the room. They followed the blood as it traveled across the hard wood floor till it reached the main staircase. At the head of the stairs, Hideaki saw the situation was getting more complicated by the second. From his vantage point, he could see that the downstairs was fully illuminated and therefore it would be infinitely more difficult to move around without being seen. But as bad as that was, the extra light was not his biggest problem. His main problem was that the fact that the blood trail stopped abruptly in a large red smear about midway down the staircase. Hideaki had thought that the blood trail would lead to an injured person, but instead the trail seemed to end at a dusty guitar resting wearily against the banister. Looking around, Hideaki couldn't see anywhere that the person they were tracking could have gone without leaving some sort of sign. And it wasn't until he reached the large smear of blood that he solved that mystery.

The banister next to the spill of blood was also liberally coated in blood. Carefully maneuvering around the blood, Hideaki peered over the railing and saw that the trail picked up again on the floor below. For no reason that he could divine, it appeared that the person they were following had jumped over the rail instead of continuing on to the base of the stairs. And from the amount of blood pooled on the floor below, he had probably re-injured himself doing it. Hideaki wasn't about to risk injuring himself or the boy following him by copying the stunt so instead he continued down the stairs to pick up the trail as it moved into the next room.

"Houo-san! Kenny!"

Hideaki reached the base of the stairs when two young voices called out and he spotted Takao and Max standing in the room just beyond the stairs. As happy as he was to see them safe, he didn't feel any relief at finally finding them. He was too distracted by the legs that were sticking out from a door behind them that led to a closet under the stairs.

"Takao, Max!" Kenny peeked out from behind Hideaki. "Are you guys okay? We were so--" Kenny stopped abruptly when he saw the legs on the floor by them, the blood draining from his face. "Is..is that…?"

"No," Takao answered quickly, "it's not Rei or Kai."

Kenny let out a sigh of relief and stepped away from the protective cover Hideaki had provided. Takao was surprised to see that instead of clutching his faithful laptop in his arms, Kenny was hugging the dusty old guitar that he and Max had seen on the stairs. As odd as the sight was though, Takao didn't think to ask Kenny why he had picked it up. He had more important things on his mind to worry about. And it wouldn't have mattered if he had asked, he wouldn't have gotten a very good answer. Kenny wasn't really aware of what he held in his arms. His eyes had seen it, old and dusty, with a smeared, bloody hand print on the neck and somehow his hands had automatically stowed his treasured laptop in his backpack and picked the instrument up. For just that instant the intellectual had subconsciously let emotion guide his hand.

"So where are they?" Kenny asked, the slight whine in his voice betraying that he was past his limits of strength.

"We don't know, but we think we do know how they got Kai and Rei out of the hospital." Max nodded down at the body. "He's wearing the same suit that the hospital security people wear."

"Kai's grandfather must have substituted one of his men for one of the guards. That's how they were able to snatch Rei and Kai from the hospital." Takao was quick to add. "And, that means that they both have to be here somewhere."

Kenny and Hideaki approached the other 'Breakers to see the body of a young man dressed in a dark blue suit that seemed identical to the ones that the hospital security staff had worn. While the others were discussing how their friends had been kidnapped, Kenny found himself staring down at the dead man. Maybe it was because he was so young, or maybe it was because he had never seen death so close up, but for whatever reason he found he couldn't pull his eyes away. That was why he noticed something that they hadn't.

From the odd position of the body, it looked as if it had been dragged from the main hallway and wedged into the closet. Kenny found himself wondering at the sloppiness of the person who had killed the man. It seemed obvious that the body was probably dragged to the closet in an attempt to hide it, but then the killer had just left it laying half in and half out of the tiny closet. Thinking there might just not have been enough room for the body to fit, Kenny looked into the closet to see how far back it reached under the stairs. That was when he noticed that the man's arms, stretched above his head, were propping open a second, smaller door hidden in the darkness of the back of the closet.

"I think I know where they are," Kenny piped up, causing all eyes to focus on him.

"What? Where?"

Kenny silently pointed towards the back of the closet and the others tracked his movement until they could see what he had. Without a second thought, Takao started forward, intent on climbing over the body to reach the hidden door. He hadn't even taken one step when he was stopped by Hideaki. The crimson-eyed man had enough experience by now with the 'Breakers that he was ready for their impulsive actions.

"Let go of me, man," Takao glared up at him. "Our friends are down there and we need to go get them."

"It's too dangerous. We should call the police and let them handle it," Hideaki tried to reason with the hard-headed boy, but could tell that he wasn't making much of a dent. He wasn't really planning on following his own advice, but he also didn't want to risk letting any of the children go with him into such a dangerous place. They already knew that there was a killer beyond the door by the mere fact that it was a body that had led them to the hidden door.

"We already let the police have their turn and they failed. They were here. Right here and they missed it. We can't just stop now," Takao barely managed to keep from shouting at the man before him.

Max turned his large, blue eyes pleadingly towards Hideaki. "Rei and Kai could be hurt, or worse. And we know that Kai needs to get back to the hospital as soon as possible. We can't just wait for someone else to come. We have to find them now!"

Hideaki met the determined eyes of the boys around him and knew that, despite his reluctance to let them into harm's way, he would not be able to get them to leave without dragging them out; which he couldn't do because he wanted to continue on and find Kai himself.

"I agree, we have to find them quickly," Hideaki temporized, deciding to try one last time to get the boys to leave willingly. "Here's what we'll do. You three go back to my house and call the police. I'll go down below and look for Kai and Rei."

"Hell no!"

"We're not going anywhere!"

"You can't go by yourself."

A chorus of denials answered his declaration and immediately everyone began talking at once trying to get their point across. The arguing would have continued indefinitely if it hadn't been for Hideaki clapping his hands abruptly together in a short burst of sound to get their attention.

"We can't keep arguing like this," Hideaki tried to reason with them. "We've been lucky so far not to attract attention, but that luck won't last much longer if we continue like this."

"You can't go by yourself, Houo-san," Kenny urged. "What if both Kai and Rei are injured? You won't be able to bring them both out on your own."

"Yeah, what he says," Takao jumped to support Kenny's argument. "I'll come, too. That way I can help you."

Hideaki wanted to argue, but, unfortunately, the boys actually had a good argument. Instead he found himself nodding silently in agreement. "Fine, but, Kenny, you and Max will still go back to my house to call the police. No arguments."

Although Max didn't look happy with that decision, Kenny gave a quick nod and, grabbing Max's arm, pulled the other boy with him out of the room. As soon as the two were out of sight, Hideaki returned his attention to the boy and the body in front of him.

"Look, I know you want to save your friends. I do, too. But I need you to understand that this is going to be very dangerous and I don't want you to do anything impulsive and get yourself hurt."

"I know, I know," Takao was quick to respond. He was eager to get through the hidden door and look for his team mates and wasn't in the mood to stand around for a lecture.

"Fine," Hideaki couldn't waste anymore time trying to get the feckless boy to listen to his cautions. "Follow where I go and try to be quiet."

"Whatever you say, Boss. Can we go now?"

Instead of answering the bluenette, Hideaki moved to the open closet door. It took a bit of maneuvering to get past the dead body, but they managed to do it without tripping over or disturbing it too much. And it was obvious once they had made it past that the blood that had been splashed liberally around the chateau was not from the dead man. While he had blood stains on his clothes, the unnatural position of his head graphically informed them that he had died when his neck was broken.

The door hidden in the back of the closet had been designed to blend into the shadowed wall. Even the digital lock was recessed into the wall beside the door where it could be hidden by a concealing panel. With it camouflaged so carefully, Hideaki knew that they would never have found the hidden door by themselves if the body hadn't been conveniently propping the door open for them.

Once through the door, the two would-be rescuers found a steep, narrow stairway leading down to a dimly lit corridor below. Shooting off at odd intervals on all sides of the main corridor were openings to other pathways leading to unknown places. They would have been completely lost in the maze of halls if it weren't for the dark path of blood calling them forward. In the dim light, the blood no longer seemed red, but looked more like inky pools of darkness scattered like flower petals in front of them.

"Do you think…?" Takao whispered hesitantly from behind Hideaki.

"I don't know," Hideaki answered slowly.

He wasn't a hundred percent sure of what Takao's true question was, but it didn't matter. The answer was the same no matter what the question might have been. He just didn't have enough information to even begin to understand what was going on. Would the trail lead them to the children or to a trap? Was the blood from one of the boys they were searching for, or from one of their captors? If it was from one of the children, then the likelihood that it would lead to the two boys was much greater. But taking in the amount of blood decorating the corridors, he didn't even want to consider the idea of it coming from one of the children. Nor did he really want to consider the possibility that Kai or Rei could have left them the gruesome marker that had directed them through the secret door. But whatever the question or answer truly was, they had no choice now but to continue forward. They would know when they reached the end of the trail.

As they moved deeper and deeper into the complex, Hideaki found his uneasiness growing. Spaced at irregular intervals along the main corridor, strange devices were placed at about chest level on the walls. And, though Hideaki's experience was limited to TV shows and movies, he was pretty sure that they were some type of explosive devices. He rationalized that since they appeared dormant, then if he and Takao moved quickly and didn't mess with them then they might not have to worry about the bombs going off. He wasn't sure if the fact that they had traces of blood on them was a good thing or not.

_Even if we turn back now because of the danger it won't help Kai or Rei. It's all or none now. We just have to find them fast and leave even faster. _

So even though they felt the danger around them growing with each step, they continued on praying that they would find the two boys they were looking for and get out before things could get any worse.

And then things got worse. The straightforward blood trail that they had been following split and suddenly appeared to go down two different corridors branching off from the one they were currently on.

"Now what?" Takao whispered loudly.

"Hold on a sec."

Hideaki studied the two hallways closely, but couldn't seem to see any difference in them. There was nothing to tell him which way they should go to find the two they were searching for. He clenched his jaw to keep his frustration in check. It didn't help that Takao was moving about restlessly from one corridor to the other, peering down each to try to see where it might lead. Right now, the blunette really didn't care which direction they went in as long as they continued moving forward. Stopping felt wrong. They just didn't have any time to waste.

"Which way?" Takao tried to keep his voice low, but wasn't totally successful.

This time, Hideaki didn't answer him. When Takao turned to look at the tall man, he found him standing completely still in the center of the corridor, his eyes shut and his head tilted slightly to the side like he was listening to something far away.

Hideaki would never have been able to put into words what he felt at that moment. There wasn't a voice speaking to him. The world didn't fall away. He was still standing in a dimly lit corridor feeling the chill of the cold, damp air around him. But suddenly he knew. It was a warm current of air against his cheek. No, it was an insistent pull at his soul. Maybe it was a soft breath calling out, to him, to anyone. Or perhaps it was just his own wishful thinking, but somehow he knew which way they needed to go.

"This way," Hideaki answered firmly, turning to stride assuredly down the corridor branching off to their left.

Takao didn't question Hideaki's choice, but he couldn't stop himself from sending one last look down the corridor that they left behind them. He hoped they wouldn't regret their choice.

The two hadn't gone very far down their chosen path when they received confirmation that they were indeed heading the right way. Unfortunately, that confirmation came in the form of an inarticulate scream that shattered the silence around them.

The fragmented cry resounded down the corridor towards them. Although they couldn't hear it clearly enough to distinguish whose voice it was, both Hideaki and Takao knew it had to be one of the missing 'Breakers. Instinctively, both broke into a sprint, racing down the narrow corridor heedless of the potential danger that might be lying in wait in the darkness before them.

"-i!"

The scream continued to echo loudly around them, but as they ran they began to hear another voice lost in the pain of the first. As they skidded around a corner, Takao noticed that he could suddenly see a little better. The dim lights that had been their only source of illumination were suddenly supplemented by a brighter, warmer light. Further ahead, they could see an odd crimson shimmer appear on the walls of the dark path ahead.

"Kai! Kai!"

The second voice became clearer and now Takao could recognize it as Rei's. The pain in both voices seemed to drive straight into his heart and he pushed himself to move even faster.

"Rei! Kai?" Takao shouted, heedless of any traps. "Hold on, we're coming!"

The flickering crimson light around them grew stronger until finally they could see that the hall ended in a heavy, bolted door. As they got closer, Takao could see that the source of the strange red light that had illuminated the corridor around them was a small, barred window high in the door before them.

"Takao?" Rei's desperate voice answered him. "Hurry!"

"We're here, Rei!" Takao called out to his friend as he quickly closed the distance.

They had almost reached the door when the odd, flickering red light from the barred window was abruptly extinguished. And when the light left, it took with it the anguished cry that had first called out to them.

"NO! Please, no!"

Suddenly, the corridor that had been reflecting the warm crimson light was dark and echoing only with the heartrending sobs of the Chinese blader. "Takao! Max! Kenny! Please, someone, help him!"

Takao was now moving so quickly that he didn't have time to slow down as he reached the bolted door. Instead he slammed into it and grabbing the bars of the window, peered in to look for his friends.

"…please…kai…"

"Rei! Kai!" Takao scanned the dark cell, but with the now much weaker dim light of the hallway, he found himself unable to see anything inside the cell.

"...i'm sorry... 'm sorry…"

"Rei! We're here! We'll help you!" He tried to say more but found it difficult to talk with the sudden invisible knot that seemed to have closed around his throat. The broken sound of Rei's voice told him that it was too late. They were too late.

Hideaki reached the door at the same time as Takao had and, letting the now frantically sobbing boy monopolize the window, felt blindly for the bolt that he had seen securing the door. He wanted break down, to cry or scream like the boy beside him, but he couldn't.

_Not yet. I can't break down yet. I have to get them out of here. Even if… if … I have to get Rei and Takao out. And I can't leave Kai here…even if…_

Hideaki focused only on finding a way to open the door, he blocked everything else out of his mind. But with the flickering, crimson light gone, he had to rely purely on touch. His grasping hands finally found where the bolt had been shot home in the door's frame. He let his fingers rove over the lock securing the bolt as he tried to think of a way that he could break the lock to open the door. The sudden unexpected sound of metal jangling startled him and, feeling carefully, he was surprised to find a key ring heavy with keys hanging from the bolt.

_It's a trap. It has to be. But it's already too late to stop. _

It took almost no time to find the right key and draw back the bolt, but Hideaki had to physically pick Takao up to move him out of the way so that he could open the door. Hideaki kept a tight grip on the keys as he let the door swing wide; he had no intention of letting someone lock the door behind him.

Bereft of even the faint dim lights that illuminated the hall, the cell before them was even darker than the corridor they had come from. Hideaki paused in the doorway with the blunette dangling in his grip as he tried to see what sort of trap might be waiting for them.

Takao, however, was not willing to even consider the possibility that what the dark was concealing might hurt him. Wriggling out of Hideaki's lax grip, he dropped to the floor and darted forward into the room.

"Rei! Kai! Where are you?"

"Takao! Stop!" Rei's voice froze Takao in place before he had gone more than 3 steps into the cell.

"What? Rei? Why?" Takao peered frantically about the dark cell. "Is it a trap?"

"It's Kai." Rei choked off a sob. "he's… hurt, he's on the floor, in front of you... be careful."

"It's okay, it'll be okay. We'll get you guys out of here," Unable to see Kai in the darkness, Takao dropped to his knees and started patting the ground before him tentatively. As he searched, he tried to find something to say that would make Rei, and himself, feel better. "We'll be out of here in no time. Kai'll be okay. Everything will be okay. Rei, are you okay?"

"I'm just chained up. I can't get loose" Rei's voice sounding tight. "Just get Kai out of here."

"Hell, no?" Takao shook his head emphatically as he crawled forward. "We're all getting out of here together. Ha! Found you, Kai!"

Takao's seeking hand had finally met the closed hand of the slate-haired blader. He tried not to think about how cold Kai's hand was as he moved closer to where Kai lay. When a heavy hand fell on his shoulder, he almost screamed; he had forgotten that there was someone else in the room besides himself, Rei and Kai.

"I'll take care of him, you free your other friend."

Hideaki had stopped in the doorway as Takao had run in to let his eyes adjust to the dark cell. And to make sure that there was no trap that would spring shut once they both had entered. But by now, if there was a trap, it would have closed on them already. Now, Hideaki knew, it was time for speed. If Voltaire or his watchdog, Hedeon, were nearby, it wouldn't be long before they were discovered. And there was still the matter of the strange devices sporadically placed along the corridors. Speed was essential if they were going to make it out at all.

"Here, take these," Hideaki pressed the ring of keys into Takao's hand and knelt down beside Kai's body.

"'k," Takao nodded numbly and stumbled to his feet. He started moving in the general direction of where he had heard Rei's voice and was able to see a darker blur against the wall. His eyes were starting to get used to the almost total absence of light and he moved a little more assuredly towards his friend.

"How is he?" Rei's hoarse voice called out anxiously. "Is he…okay?"

Hideaki didn't answer; he honestly didn't hear the boy's query. He was too preoccupied with the body before him. His eyes had adjusted enough for him to see details, but he almost wished he couldn't.

Kai's body lay sprawled on his back on the floor before him with his arms stretched out to either side, as if he had been crucified on the floor of the dirty cell. He was clad only in a pair of hospital scrub pants which, along with the bandages that covered most of the rest of his body, were liberally soiled with both dirt and blood. He couldn't tell if Kai was breathing or not and reached toward the still body to check if he was… _not _dead_… _alive. Hideaki felt disconnected from his own body as he watched his trembling hand reach towards Kai's chest.

"Please, tell me!" Rei struggled slightly in his chains, unable to remain still in his fear. "Is he..how is he?"

"Stay still, Rei," Takao gritted his teeth as he tried to keep a grip on the moving manacle. He had already tried about half the keys on the ring and none of them so far had proved to be the correct one. He only hoped that the key they needed was one of the keys on the ring Hideaki had found. Takao continued trying one key at a time as he tried to ignore the fact that there was no answer to Rei's frantic question from behind him.

While Takao was focusing so intently on his task, Hideaki was finding it almost impossible to focus. Although he had been trained in CPR when he was younger, Hideaki couldn't make his body do the things he knew he was supposed to. He knew he should look, listen and feel for breathing. That he should check for a pulse. But instead he found himself gently tracing the hollow of Kai's cheek, feeling a sickness growing inside him as he felt how cold the boy's skin was to his touch. _He felt much warmer than this when I carried him from the meadow. This can't be real. This can't be happening._

Trying to shake off the surreal feeling, Hideaki forced his fingers to move to Kai's throat, searching for a place that the bandages didn't cover. Searching for something that would deny the truth that his eyes were telling him.

"Got it!" Takao shouted triumphantly as he finally found the right key and the left shackle fell from Rei's wrist. The blunette felt a brief moment of triumph at his accomplishment before being dragged back to the grim reality of their situation. Groping his way across to Rei's other wrist, he quickly freed Rei's right hand and caught the Chinese youth as he collapsed against him.

"thanks, Takao," Rei hung limply in his friend's arms, taking comfort in the physical and emotional support his friend was offering him. But he only allowed himself a brief respite before struggling to pull himself upright and trying to walk towards Kai.

But Takao refused to let go of Rei, he could feel his friend trembling and knew that he was too hurt to make it on his own to where Kai lay. Instead, he pulled Rei's arm over his shoulder and half-carried, half-dragged Rei to where Hideaki knelt over the still body of their team mate.

Each step that brought the two 'Breakers closer to the silent tableau seemed to weigh more and more heavily on them until they finally collapsed on their knees beside Kai. Neither Rei nor Takao could say anything, they could only stare across Kai's still, pale form to where Hideaki knelt with his head bowed. The faintest light from the corridor outside had found the only thing in the cell that could amplify it, the crystalline tears tracing their way down Hideaki's face.

The eerie glow from the bank of monitors cast a malignant green light across the face of Voltaire Hiwatari. It would be difficult to decide which was the more disturbing view; that of the monitor showing a boy engulfed in flames, his body arched in agony, his mouth wide to let out a scream that was unheard in the secluded room or that of the twisted smile of triumph on the green lit face of the monster watching the boy's death throes. It was a sign of how truly twisted Voltaire was that he would have considered both to be beautiful.

Reaching to the table beside his chair, the older man picked up a tall, delicate wine glass and sipped the rich red it held. He was pleased with how things were going. His grandson had taken his bait and was "sacrificing himself to save his friend." A malicious chuckle slipped out as he thought of how little good Kai's sacrifice would really do.

Even as he watched, Kai's tortured body seemed to be weakening, his agonized movements slowing as he was consumed by the flames. For one unexpected moment, Voltaire experienced doubt. Not in what he saw before him, he knew Kai had to die, but in the outcomes it might yield. He briefly wondered if he really could subdue the beast, if he could tame the phoenix. What if it refused him, refused his threats, what if he killed everyone attached to the beast and it still would not accept him as its master.

Voltaire's hand spasmed in anger at the mere possibility that he might not fulfill his mother's desire and he felt the delicate stem of the wine glass break spilling red wine like a blood stain on the floor. The sharp crack of the breaking crystal shook him from his misgivings and he forced such weak thoughts aside.

_After all, the weak can be broken while it is the strong who do the breaking. My mother was strong and she gave me her strength. I _will_ claim the phoenix as my own. And if it dares to refuse my desires, then, just as with my daughter, just as with Kai, I will destroy it. I will not allow it to have any master but me._

With his confidence renewed, Voltaire rose from his seat and went to the cabinet against the back wall for a new glass. He was chuckling again as he picked up the wine glass and the rich red he had chosen for this momentous event. But he never got the chance to fill his cup, the new glass seemed fated to join its twin. As he turned back around and returned his gaze to the monitors, it slipped from his hand, followed closely by the expensive bottle of red wine.

"No! That's not what's supposed to happen," he yelled at the monitor in front of him. "That's not what I planned!"

Voltaire slammed his fist against the screen causing the picture to flicker and fuzz momentarily before resolving again into the scene that had upset him. When he had turned away, the monitor had shown his grandson's dying moments with the figure of the Chinese blader struggling against the wall behind him. He had turned back expecting to see the same, or if not, to see the birth of his phoenix. Instead the monitor now showed him three figures kneeling around the body of his grandson.

"That can't be happening," Voltaire screamed at the screen as if he could force it to change by sheer will power. His voice became louder with each query to the screen. "How did those two get in there? And how did that kid get free? And why the hell is my grandson's body still there!"

Voltaire jabbed a finger at the offending body on the screen and let loose a blistering string of invectives. He had witnessed the phoenix's rebirth several years before and remembered well the fact that nothing had remained of the boy who had triggered the phoenix's death; his body had been completely consumed in the phoenix fire. At the time he had thought of it as an unexpected bonus to stealing the phoenix, no body to worry about disposing of. But now with the resultant uproar from Kai's recent care at a nearby hospital, it was something he had included in his plans. No body meant no evidence for the police to use against him.

His plan in shambles, Voltaire knew he needed to once again take control of the situation. He slammed his fist one last time against the monitor bank in a vain attempt to punish something before turning away to the task at hand.

"No more!" Voltaire muttered angrily under his breath. "No more mercy. They had to come looking for Kai, they couldn't leave things alone. Fine, they wanted to find him, they wanted to join him? They can join him in hell."

Mindless of the broken glass, Voltaire stomped across the room to the door that led out to the main room. His fury blazed unnaturally in his eyes and blinded him to everything but his vengeance. It was because of that rage that he didn't question the reason why he hadn't seen the two rescuers invading his complex. He didn't stop to ponder the fact that his private observation room was completely lacking in any surveillance of the passageways in and out of his domain; those thoroughfares had always been watched over by his lackeys in the main control room. And he hadn't even considered the idea that anyone would dare invade his privacy until he reached for the door and felt the knob turn under his hand.

Surprise more than anything forced Voltaire back a step. No one was authorized to enter his private monitoring room but him. And no one but his top scientists and bodyguards even knew about the room. Mikki, the enforcer that he had left upstairs hadn't known of its existence and would never have dared to enter even if he had. Voltaire was equally certain that no one could just stumble onto this room because it was buried in the heart of the labyrinth-like structure.

The door opened slowly, silently, in front of him, the swing of the door forcing him to move back several more steps. The bright light from the main room was painful after the sickly light of the monitor bank and Voltaire's hand flew instinctively up to shield his eyes from the glare. He could see the crooked form of someone standing in the doorway. But between the light shining behind it and his own watering eyes, he couldn't make out who it belonged to.

"Still as predictable as always," rasped a low, distorted voice from the doorway. "I knew you'd be here gloating. Do you like how I rewrote your little play?"

"You did this!" Voltaire swept his hand to point violently at the monitor. "How _dare_ you! Who are you? How did you-"

Voltaire's words died in his throat as the figure before him moved out of the light and into the darkened room. Stumbling backwards away from the blood-drenched demon that had come for him, Voltaire looked wildly around the room for another way out. But there were no other doors, this room was designed for spying and seclusion, not for escape. There were also no weapons, he had been confident in his absolute victory and had brought in only his celebratory vintage red when he had come to watch his grandson's death.

A twisted smile of white teeth veiled in fresh red blood greeted Voltaire as he turned back to confront the vengeful devil.

"You're dead!" Voltaire accused, as if he could shame the demon into retreating back to hell.

"You should know," The twisted grin grew wider allowing more blood to escape as the demon advanced on him, "After all, you killed me."

Without realizing he had retreated, Voltaire suddenly felt the cold, hard wall at his back. His mind worked furiously on how he could escape. Fear froze his blood and panic choked him as he realized that he could die. But he _couldn't_ die, he was stronger than that. He was strong, not weak. He wouldn't allow himself to break. As he watched the devil enter the room he noted the uneven, staggering stride and the pool of blood forming at its feet. And he knew that he would not just survive, he would triumph over his self-appointed executioner. For it was no demon before him, only a dying man.

"Hedeon," Voltaire stepped forward, straightening his shoulders and resuming his normal superior mien. "I am quite surprised to see you here since I—terminated your position with the company. I would think you'd have more important things to do in your final moments than come crawling back to your former master."

"Don't worry, I'm not here to ask for my job back." Hedeon turned his back on Voltaire to gently shut the door behind him.

"Then why are you wasting my time, dead man." Voltaire replied with growing impatience as he glanced at the monitor to see the tallest rescuer pick up his grandson's body and move towards the cell door. "I have important things to attend to."

A wet chuckle answered Voltaire's agitation. "I came for a recommendation."

"A recommendation?" Voltaire frowned in confusion at Hedeon's back. _He must be delusional from blood loss._

"Yes."

Voltaire heard a sharp crack of sound as Hedeon broke the handle off the door and felt a twinge of unease as he realized the door had effectively been sealed. The unease grew as Hedeon turned again to face him, a dark look of anticipation on his face.

"I know where I'm going. I accept it. I even deserve it. But I was thinking, I'm good at what I do, and I'd hate to let my talents go to waste." Hedeon reached into his blood drenched coat and brought out a similarly stained device that seemed to be sprouting wires all over in one hand and a small remote in the other. "So when you get to hell," Hedeon smiled cruelly, "don't forget to put in a good word for me."

Voltaire opened his mouth, but what he might have said would never be known. Hedeon had already depressed the small button on the remote. The resulting explosion created a true hell on earth in the small room, both men consumed almost instantly by the heat, flame, pain that heralded its coming.

------tbc

Karma kicks a$$ doesn't it. I truly believe that evil will always destroy itself, it's just too vain, selfish, and arrogant not to.

Alright who saw it coming? You should have known I wouldn't let Hedeon die that easily. Besides, his story wasn't finished yet. The poor guy had just learned who really killed Marya, there's no way he would just give up and die without punishing that person. And let me tell you, that was sooooo satisfying to write. _cackles gleefully_

I actually meant to add another plot point, but I wouldn't have been able to wrap the chapter up very neatly with it, so it will have to wait until next chapter (just like you).

Well, it probably wasn't worth waiting a year, but I hope you at least enjoyed it. And yes, there will be another chapter (hopefully, much more quickly) even though it looks like I just killed everyone off. I think I still have a couple mysteries to solve, so I can't quit yet. Hope I remember them all, wouldn't want to leave you guys hanging on something important like what happened to Dranzer and Black Dranzer. ;) Nah, I wouldn't do that…

Now on to the fun part….

**Special Thanks to:** (so many pretty reviewers, sorry, this might take a while, might want to scroll down a ways to find your reply)

**Blood Red Sharingan:** _giggles _Thanks for the review. Sorry I made this one longer again. I just wanted to get closer to the end. I'm working on the digimon fic, I promise. Don't kill me _please_

**Destiny Kitty of Shadowdon: **I'm so happy you like my phoenix fire idea. It's really the basis of the plot. As for Kai being rescued or rescuing himself, I'm afraid you are going to have to tune in for one more chapter to find out if it's even possible anymore. Cross your fingers and hope everything hasn't gone as Kai planned. (and thanks for the nice review of HB, glad you enjoyed it).

**Aishizu2: **Anata no nihongo wa suburashi desu! _Laughs _And now I've reached my limits ;P nya Hope the fic continues to live up to your standards, nya. Catch you next chappie, nya

**Storm-of-insanity: **Well, you are obviously right about Kai's papa. But as for him living, I don't know, have I really tortured Kai enough? Hmmm…you'll have to wait and see. And sorry for the long delay, but if you still want me, you can add me to your c2.

**Kiko cat: **oops, I hope you're still alive, since you said you couldn't bear it if I killed anyone else and I just blew up the complex with everyone inside. I just couldn't help myself. But don't despair yet, I have one more chapter and maybe it'll be better ;)

**DarkWolf88:** _smiles _No worries, I _like_ long reviews. Thank you for writing one. I'm so thrilled that Kai is in character for you. Keeping a character true to himself can be so hard sometimes, but I am trying. And as for the suspense, I just can't help myself (as evidenced above). The chapters just sort of like to end at those spots, not my fault. And as for what happened with the plagiarism, I do understand (which is why I didn't start emailing all the site administrators) reading something and loving it and wanting to incorporate it. I'm an avid reader and many times I read something that makes me go "damn, that was so beautiful and now I can't use it since I didn't think of it first" _laughs _Integrity is hard, but the converse is much worse. _Everyone, don't go to the Dark Side!_ ;)

**Snoshadow: **Hey 'intense' is my middle name. Well, it's not, but it should be ;P Thanks for the review. Hope you enjoy this chapter too.

**Ellen:** _waves _Hi, Ellen. Have I told you (I know I have) that I love your reviews. You always make me happy. I'm so sorry for the long update. Well, as you can see, Rei did not get the opportunity to kick Voltaire's ass. But, I don't think Rei will have any problems with Voltaire from now on. Neither will anyone else, assuming that is that anyone was lucky enough to survive the bombs. Sorry about the twisted images with Voltaire, I'm just unable to write him any other way. Creepy freak that he is. I had mentioned a sequel, a possibility, but I'm not going to tell you what the major plot point, if it happens, would be. It would just ruin the next chapter for you. Thanks again (you make me blush), I'll have to get cracking on the idea I have and maybe one day you'll find me in a bookstore ;)

**Jello-Is-Evil: **Still worth the wait? God I hope so, or you've just spent a year waiting for nothing. ;P But you'll have to stick around if you want to know, 'what's going to happen next?' See you then?

**Syaoran-Lover: **As evidenced by the chapter, while there is no limit to my Kai torture, Voltaire's winning streak is well and truly over. _chuckles maliciously _So as far as his plans go, it doesn't matter if Kai lives or dies. Too bad it isn't the same for all of you ;P But hang in there, all hope isn't gone, _somebody must have survived _otherwise the story would end here….hmmm…there's an idea…._laughs _Thanks for the review, sorry about the typos, by the time I post, I've read over the chapter so many times I'm almost not seeing it anymore. I'll try to be better. And don't worry about me being angry that you like my story enough to want to read more. That is never a problem for me. Wanting, asking, needing are signs that you love it. Demanding or whining (which you haven't done) are a bit irritating because it assumes entitlement. Don't worry, I'll keep writing, but I can't promise speed. Sorry, I just never know when something will come up and force a delay.

**Though I choose death instead: **_smiles sadly _But for good or bad, all things must end. Just remember, if you're desperate, you could read all 30+ chapters of this again ;) Thanks for the review.

**Fire Falcon: **Thanks for the review, too bad, I didn't let you find out if Kai survives in this chapter. _giggles_ Maybe you'll find out in the next one ;)

**SchoolBoredom: **Well, you were wondering if Kai would die and who the phoenix would choose. I think I got your questions mixed up because, as you can see in this chapter, I told you Voltaire died and didn't even give you a glimpse of the new phoenix. _laughs _But at least now you know Voltaire isn't an option. Maybe you'll get the rest of your answers next chapter. cya

**Althea Astera Renata: **_huge grin _Thanks for the review. Setting a scene is hard, too much bores people and too little doesn't give the right atmosphere. I'm so glad you like how I'm doing it. And as for the mysteries in mysteries, isn't it fun? I always hate it when a story is too easy; when you know from the first moments, who's bad, who's good, and how it's going to end. Thanks for your support and encouragement.

**Mori'quessir: **Well, hopefully you didn't die. _laughs _As for Kai…you'll find out next chapter. Catch you then.

**Droopy1389: **Okay, to clear up the confusion that you've probably forgotten about. Voltaire doesn't have the 'blood' because he is related to Kai through Kai's mother. Kai has the 'blood' because of his father. Therefore, Voltaire has no claim to the phoenix. But if Kai dies, theoretically, the phoenix will have Kai's blood and therefore he will be tied to Voltaire through his mother. Does that make sense of anything? Hope so. But for the result of the life or death decision, you'll just have to wait. ;)

**Lightdragon1987: **It would be a shame if Kai died now, wouldn't it? After all, if I kill him, who would I have to torture? _laughs _You'll just have to visit again to see if Rei loses his friend. Poor Rei

**Gasara: **Thank you for the glowing review. I'm so thrilled that you are enjoying this. I sort of hope people like how this ends; whether it will bring them to tears or not, I'm just not sure. Grief, like humor is hard to write. I hope that you come back to visit and see how this all ends.

**Redemberx: **_giggles _I guess I shouldn't have said anything about the good thing about coming in on the end. It doesn't seem to have helped you that much with wait times, ne? But hopefully it's worth it, I guess we'll find out in another chapter ;)

**HimekoSukie: **Well Rei is definitely not happy with Kai's decision, but you are a hundred percent right that there is not much he can do about it now. I'm afraid that between the explosions at the complex and the battle with Black Dranzer, the only thing that could help Kai now is a miracle. Better start praying to me now ;) _laughs_

**Fey Phantom: **I am definitely a fan of Harry Potter, which is why I tipped my hat (so to speak) to Rowling's genius in an earlier chapter. One of the reasons I like her is that she does exactly what I'm trying to do. I think that it is what makes a story enjoyable in the long run. Twists, turns and mysteries let you enjoy a story as you read it, but truly appreciate when you return to it again later. That is definitely something I want to give to you guys. Thanks for the comparison ;) I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, it definitely had the 'Breakers story and Hideaki. I seem to have trouble getting them all in the same chapter together, don't I? _laughs _And you are right, after everything I've done to Kai, it would only be kind to find some way to let him talk to his father. If only so that he knows who he is. We'll see what I can do (and if I can do it well). Matta ne!

**MasterFranny: **hmmm…lady of darkness…I think I like it. _winks_ That's definitely how my stories seem to be going. (by the way, you write a great review for someone who is speechless ;P) Well, obviously from this chapter, you don't have to worry about Voltaire making Rei's life miserable, don't you feel better now? _Ducks for cover _And you have definitely seen what the biggest problem for the next chapter will be. What exactly will come of Kai's sacrifice; will a new phoenix emerge, will the dark side win, will your hope or fear be rewarded? Tough to say. But it'll be fun to find out, ne? (but hopefully not, fun in a cry your eyes out sort of way) Just remember, I torture Kai because I love him just like you guys. Oh, as for a drawing, believe me, no matter what you imagine, it'll look better than any attempt I make. I paint with words because that is all I can do.

**LaDiNi: **_smiles bashfully _Sorry, sweetie, I've been a bad friend lately, ne. It's sort of taken me a while to get adjusted to my new home and work. Home is beautiful, work is hell, but it won't be forever and I'll move on. Hope school is going well for you. As for your questions…Voltaire, despite his arrogance knew there were too many risks with trying to claim the phoenix for himself. He schemed and kidnapped and murdered to reach the end point of Kai, but it was on a much smaller scale than what he would have needed to do to kill an entire bloodline. The risk of getting caught and stopped would increase with each death. Plus, there are never any guarantees even with all that. At this point, though, he doesn't have many options. And of course, now, he doesn't have any, since he's dead _laughs evilly _Is it wrong to find pleasure in that. Too bad he couldn't die three chapters ago and save Kai from all the pain. But then where would my story be. As for Kai's plan, if you really want a hint….do you really….only because we're friends….the plan won't succeed. Did you really think it would? ;P

**Fallen Phoenix: **_sniffs _poor Kai, 'the world would be a better place without him?' _laughs _more like he'd be in a better place without the world. Poor tortured boy. But I know what you mean, sorry Kai. He never has really fit into it, has he? Not that he's tried. Well, the 'Breakers are on the scene and … that's about all I've told you. Oops, oh well, if I told you it all now, what would be the point of the next chapter? Thanks for the great review, hope to see you next chapter as well.

**Jae: **_uh-oh _I'm torn,…I don't know if I should be glowing with pride or floating through the sky with my big, inflated head. I think I'll do both ;) _turns into a large, bright, grinning blimp. _You are so unbelievably sweet with praise. (_whispers conspiratorially_ I admit the moonlight image is one of my favs) Somehow, you always seem to know the images that really were most vivid to me. Sadly, I have trouble with poetry, I get wrapped up in the rules, rhyming and such and it just turns to garbage. Free form isn't bad though. I do hope that I'm able to live up to your high expectations as the story closes. I spent so much time tearing all the threads of the characters apart to reweave them into the story I wanted to share that I'm very nervous I'll mess up now. I don't want to leave a gaping hole, in the plot or the emotions of the readers. I think that may be the reason I'm slowing down with updates. Doesn't that make a lovely rationalization. But no more excuses, onward I go and I hope you come with me. Heck, I hope you are still rereading this after so long or you'll never know I came back _laughs_

**Bloody Crimson Tears: **_laughs _I guess that two awesome reviews are an equivalent exchange for an updated chapter, ne? (I love FMA, too). I guess I do have a thing for cliffies, just can't seem to help myself. But I do hope that you haven't run out of air by now. Just be grateful, it could have been 17 years ;P Of course, by now you're probably just a quivering pile of a twitchy reader _giggles _But if you can control the seizures long enough, I hope you find time to read and enjoy this chapter. I'm almost at the end and then you won't have to worry about withdrawals symptoms again. Hope you liked it and I'll catch you next chappie.

**Personne du monde: **_laughs _first point, this is my take on their world, I said there'd be changes. Dranzer's a phoenix and phoenix's are neither male or female. But since Dranzer was reborn through Ran's death, he, yes 'he' has subtly shifted to a more male persona this lifetime around. And if you're curious, Zephyr was a more femine spirit. I never said it, but that's how it was. g_iggles _But hopefully if you made it this far, you've gone with the flow. Thank you for the reviews as you followed along with the story. I truly love the song as well and while it wasn't my inspiration for the story itself, it became the key to the flow. And therefore I love it even more. I'll send you the pic after I get this posted, but if for some reason it doesn't get to you, you can find it on my msn page. The link is posted on my main ff page. I think LaDiNi did a marvelous job with it, exactly what I imagined. I hope you like it and that you enjoy the rest of this story. Ja ne.

**Lunar Fire:** Thank you so much for the great compliment. I find that you are so right about the fanfictions out there. Everyone tries their best, but some are obviously more basic in their writing styles and some are true talents that pull you in. I'm glad to hear that you think I'm one of the good-great ones ;) I'm also glad you don't mind cliffhangers since you've been hanging there a while. _laughs _Well, I'm close to finished and then we'll find out if the praise is deserved. I hope you continue to enjoy this as much as I love writing it.

**Valdrein: **Thanks for the review. Cliffies are tough, but they do build the anticipation, ne? Hope it was worth it for you.

**Jixnce: **_laughs _Wow, for some odd reason, everybody thinks that I'm going to kill Kai. Isn't that strange? Where would you guys get that idea? Oh, yeah, it's because I'm _evil!_ Thanks for the review, maybe I'll even give Kai a little light. We'll see.

**Invader Zim Merchandise: **_uh-oh _It looks like I dove too deeply into the heart of darkness. Kai gets tortured quite a bit, but don't think of it as a cheat that I let him go and brought him back. It's because I'm so kind to my readers (someone must be naïve enough to believe that). It was to give you guys a nice break before the final torture. But never fear, the torture's almost over, maybe then Kai can Rest in Peace….I mean get some rest. Hope you got plenty of ice cream. ;)

**RetaroO: **To answer your questions, the great characters must die because they _are _great. If Kai wasn't so great, he would have compromised on his beliefs or taken the easy way out. He could have rationalized that it was the only way. But Kai is better than that, a strong, beautiful soul doesn't do what's easy, they do what's right. But don't worry, the bad guys die too.

**Ketsueki no izou: **_glomps _I'm so happy. You're the only that guessed that. You are correct, that is who I am. By the way, I love your name, very powerful feel to it. Anyways, thanks for the reviews, I'm glad you like the past I built for Kai. It may sound weird, but I've gotten so attached to it, it has become his 'real' past in my mind. I hope you enjoy the rest. Ja ne!

**The-Rogue-Angel123: **_laughs _Well, if you can believe it, I was just about to post this and saw that I had a message from you. So I had to take a minute and edit your reviewer thanks. g_iggles _And since you read my Nov posting, then you probably can guess what it said ;P Don't worry, I didn't consider it a flame or a personal attack. I have felt the same frustrations as you, but I have always thought that email spankings would only deter my favorite authors from posting. I do stand by what I said earlier, I won't post a note about progress. Since, first, it's against the rules, and second, if I had the opportunity to post notes, I'd just post chapters. Since you don't know me, other than by my stories, I'll tell you something important about me. Integrity is something I value. I would challenge anyone to catch me in a lie because I just don't do that. I will either answer a question honestly or I will tell the person that it is something I won't answer. I am only pointing this out to reiterate the fact that I said I would finish this. I will. You may not believe me, but I do think about you guys. I've often thought of telling my sister the conclusions of my stories so that she could at least post a note to let you guys know what was supposed to happen in them, just in case something happened to me, so that you wouldn't be left hanging. I appreciate the fact that you have taken the time to tell me how much you have enjoyed my story. I hope you continue to enjoy it so much that it drives you wild with anticipation (if not frustration) _laughs_

**Darksouled Saiyanphoenix:** Thank you for the review. It's definitely a long story, but I'm thrilled you spent a couples days wading through it. Sorry about the long update, but I hope you enjoyed it. Catch you next chappie.

**Chibiphoenix: **_laughs _Everyone thinks I'm evil. What's up with that? I'm truly not, I just like to torture people, that's all. Well, I hope the latest chapter lived up to the first many. Thanks for the review. Ja!

**SamiSerga: **_laughs hysterically _Your reviews always kill me. At least you've expanded on the usual, 'you're evil' motif, now I'm an 'evil, psycho, bh' Wow, I must be good, my title is getting longer. Anyways, I'll take that cookie and get back to work. Wish me luck.

**Dark Kaiser: **_rubs hands together gleefully_ Made another person cry. I don't know what's wrong with me, I never make people cry in the real world… Oh well, it is fun! Thanks for the review, I'm so happy that you've liked my story so much. I hope you enjoy it all the way to the end, Kai's or the story's whichever comes first.

**Darkened Lynx:** _ouch _Watch out from falling boulders, cliffies can be dangerous. Sorry for the long delay. I hope you check back and find me again. Sadly Bryan had to die to the sake of the story. He was a great baddie when I needed him and a tragic death for Kai to regret. As for Tala, obviously I won't be killing him since he hasn't even shown up yet in the story. Poor guy, I left him out completely. I think it's because I like him a lot too and he would be a bit overwhelming in a story that needed to remain focused on Kai. As for Kai, you'll have to wait and see like everyone else. _Laughs _Hope you can survive until then.

**Kai Hiwatari1: **Thanks for the review. It wasn't soon, but I did update. Hope you enjoyed.

**Darkwaterwolf: **Continuing as requested, slowly, but surely.

**Soniya: **_smiles _More is here and more is coming.

**HikaruOfArrow: **Almost crying. Wow, I must be losing my edge. I'll see what I can do about that. ;P

**Starfiredevil:** _smiles _yep the end is near. Glad you've enjoyed it, come again and see what happens.

**Darkinuyasha: **_laughs _Nothing like a blowtorch to brighten one's day. Thanks for taking the time to give me a sweet review. I'll catch you next chapter.

**Izolda: **Thanks for the review. Don't worry, it won't end like this, it'll end like…..you'll see.

**Bibbs:** I'm so thrilled for the kind review. Sorry for the long delay, thanks for bearing with me. I hope you enjoy this chapter too. Just remember it shouldn't be good 'even the second time' it should be better ;)

**Miako6:** _eyes glittering _You're going to send me a personal invitation? That's so kind of you. You shouldn't have. But then again, I should find someone to chain me to my computer. Thanks for the exasperated patience, I hope it was well rewarded.

**Lioku:** _oops _Killed another reader. You guys are just dropping like flies. I guess I need to finish this off before I don't have any readers left, ne? Don't worry, the end is near.

**XxWhiteThunder15xX:** If you want to know the truth, I was waiting for you. That's right. I had this sitting, completely done, but I wanted to wait until your sanity had cracked. See, I love you, too, I give you the same loving attention, see 'torture,' that I give to our beloved Kai

**Beyblade-rocks: **Nearly cried? I must not be laying on enough angst. How did you do on this chapter? I can always come over and pinch you if you have that much trouble crying. _laughs_ Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too, but as for Kai, you'll have to wait and see like everyone else.

Wow….that took a while. Sorry, I just can't help myself. When you guys review for me, I just want to give you back some of that attention.

Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for sticking with me this far. Please remember, this is the darkest moment, so don't forget to leave a little light. Maybe it will lead Kai home.

Bring the Sun!

By the way, the next (and if everything goes as planned, last) chapter will be, **Mending the Wounds of Us**


	32. Mending the Wounds of Us

Disclaimer: I do not own any bishonen beyboys or any awesome songs.

Warning: None to mention, unless it is the agony of waiting for my updates. It's almost over.

Author's Notes: Like the phoenix rising from the ash, I have magically returned from the graveyard of bad authors. ~_looks around and realizes she is standing in the ashes of all her dead readers~_Sorry for everyone who might have given me up as dead. I got lost in the real world for a while. But I'm back in my happy place and will finish this for anyone who missed it.

**A World So Cool**

**Chapter XXXII : Mending The Wounds of Us**

_Nonononononononono….._

Rei's mind was frozen in a loop of the negating mantra as he fell to his knees beside his friend's body.

The dim, almost non-existent light was barely enough to see the lifeless form before him. However, the low pearly light wasn't enough to bring any colors to the eye and so Kai seemed to be painted in shades of grey. His normally pale skin appeared stark white while the blue markings and blood stained bandages seemed to be black as pitch. The contrasting light and dark did nothing to bring any hope of life to Rei. Unable to form a coherent thought, much less to speak, he reached tentatively toward Kai's pale face.

Takao was just as shocked as Rei at the sight before him. He hadn't had the strength or the will to try to keep Rei on his feet when they had staggered to Kai. And Takao had found himself dragged down to his knees by Rei's weight. However, unlike Rei, Takao had no trouble speaking exactly what was on his mind.

"Is he…alive?" Takao stumbled over the question that he was afraid to have answered.

"….he's alive," Hideaki's soft words were almost inaudible, but the tension those words carried froze both the young bladers in front of him.

Rei froze in mid-reach, hope lighting in his amber eyes as he quickly looked over at Hideaki's face to be sure that he heard him correctly. "Alive? He's really alive?"

Hideaki's crimson eyes met Rei's and the Chinese blader could see the truth there.

"Yes, but only barely," Hideaki answered. "He is barely breathing and his pulse is very weak. And I think his heart keeps missing beats." Hideaki's hand was resting lightly in the curve of Kai's neck.

Rei reached towards Kai's wrist to check as well, not caring that the hand closest to him was the hand that was clasped around the black blade. As Rei adjusted Kai's wrist to try to find his pulse, Kai's hand fell limply to the side and the black blade fell to the cold, stone floor.

Rei flinched back instinctively from the dark blade, almost knocking Takao down. But he needn't have bothered. As the shell of Black Dranzer hit the ground, it shattered with the sound of scorched glass. The shards seemed to implode, falling into themselves until there was only a small smear of ash marking the stone floor where Kai's hand had previously lain.

"What the hell was that?" Takao shouted. In the dim light, he hadn't really seen the dark blade in Kai's hand.

"Black Dranzer…" Rei couldn't believe his eyes. The dark phoenix that had hurt and haunted his friend had just been destroyed.

"Wait!" Takao's voice intruded loudly into Rei's thoughts. "Something's happening."

Panicked, Rei quickly glanced up at Takao only to see his friend staring down at the blue blade that was resting quietly in Kai's left hand. Only the blade wasn't resting quietly anymore. A small circle of crimson flames rose up from around the bit. The flames seemed to pulse in and out, gradually widening until they encompassed the entire blade. With his hand still clasped around Kai's wrist, Rei was the only one that might have discovered that the flames pulsed in time with Kai's missed heartbeats. However, he was too stricken with fear to notice.

"No!"

Rei's voice echoed the same panic that the two rescuers had heard as they had raced toward the cell earlier. Hearing that panic and the anticipated grief in the Chinese blader's voice was all that Hideaki needed to recognize what was happening. Just recently, he had heard Kai speak of his nephew's death and of the birth of Dranzer. And he knew the old legends of the phoenix's life-cycle from his own family.

"NO!" Hideaki's voice didn't hold any of the panic and fear that Rei's had. His voice demanded utter obedience. Faster than either boy could have imagined, Hideaki slammed his hand down onto the blue blade. As if he could physically stop the spiritual inferno, his hand enveloped the blade in Kai's hand. Scarlet flames danced up between his fingers as the flames continued to grow.

"No!" Hideaki's voice seemed to lose its commanding tone and fell away into one of pleading. "He's still alive, he's still fighting. And so are we! Give us the chance to save him. Give me the chance…" Hideaki's voice broke as he pushed his thoughts and feelings at the blade in their shared grasp.

Rei and Takao silently watched the impending tragedy unfolding before them. A blinding flash of scarlet flames rose up before them only to die down just as quickly.

It seemed to take forever for the spots to clear out of the rescuers' eyes, but in reality it only took seconds. And when their vision cleared, they all looked down to see the flames had retreated back into the blue blade.

Rei sighed heavily, releasing the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. Kai was still alive and Dranzer seemed to be giving them the chance to see that he remained that way. Rei almost collapsed in relief.

Thankfully, Takao didn't react in the same manner as Rei and Hideaki to the new turn in events. While the tension and anxiety seemed to drain out of the others, Takao felt a kick start of energy.

"We have to go," Takao grabbed Rei's arm, pulling him free from where he held onto Kai's wrist. Takao pulled Rei's arm over his shoulder and reached around him to grasp his waist. "Now!"

Takao struggled to pull Rei's to his feet, "Bombs, remember! Gotta go, NOW!"

The mere mention of the bombs was enough to push the others into action finally. Rei used Takao's strength to get to his feet. At the same time Hideaki, scooped up Kai into his arms. A slight hitch in his step was all that Hideaki needed to do to settle the injured boy more firmly in his arms. Even comatose, Kai did not let go of his blade; Dranzer remained in his tight grasp cradled against his body as he lay in Hideaki's arms.

Hideaki wanted to go racing down the halls at a sprint to get Kai out, but the other boys couldn't match his speed. Instead, he nodded to Takao and Rei to lead the way. Knowing there was no time to argue, Takao immediately starting leading Rei back the way that they had come. Hideaki followed closely at their heels.

They were making relatively good speed considering that they had two injured team mates with them. Thankfully, the blood trail that had lead Takao and Hideaki in was now a guide to get them out. Things seemed to be going well until they reached the spot where the blood trail had diverged. As Takao reached that point he looked up to Hideaki for confirmation before turning to take the branch that would lead them out. At that moment, an explosion of sound came from the other branch.

The hall rocked around them and Takao and Rei staggered into the wall barely managing to remain on their feet.

"Wha-!" Takao's wide eyes stared around, expecting the bomb on the wall next to him to go off.

"GO!" shouted Hideaki. He didn't know why only one bomb had gone off, but he wasn't going to push their luck.

The surging adrenaline pushed Rei and Takao to move faster. They were able to reach a staggering run as they moved through the hall. It wasn't even 30 seconds before another explosion rocked the complex behind them. This one sounded closer than the last, but still far enough away that no flames were seen yet. This time none of them stopped moving. Takao and Rei barely managed not impact with the wall when the floor moved under their feet. A third explosion seemed to come even faster. Even though the flames were unseen at the moment, a haze of smoke began to fill the air around them.

To Rei, it was like being engulfed in a nightmare. He wasn't able to think clearly and had a hard time just staying on his feet while Takao dragged him rapidly through the tunnels. In his shocked state, sight and sound bled into each other. Rei would have sworn on his life that they were being chased through underground caves by an angry dragon. Glowing embers filled the smoke as it swirled around them, the heat growing more and more intense. The dragon was steadily gaining on them, its heavy feet causing the ground to tremble in rapid succession. Each time Rei found Takao and himself smashed against the wall or the ground by the impacts of the pursuing enemy, he would take a moment to look back and make sure that the angry dragon's flames had not devoured Kai. Takao never gave him more than the briefest glance before Rei found himself hauled back onto his feet and pulled into a staggering run again. Rei could do nothing except follow his friend's lead and hope they could escape before the dragon's breath consumed them all

Takao, for his part, was doing the best he could to shelve his fear and just concentrate on getting his friends out. He never once looked behind him at either Hideaki and Kai or towards the rapidly approaching explosions. He knew there was nothing he could do about any of those things and focused completely on getting Rei and himself out. He had no choice but to put his faith in Hideaki that the man would get Kai out. After what seemed to be forever, Takao saw the steps that led back up into the house at the end of the hall in front of them. By this time the flames were lapping at their heels and the flying debris from the explosions had marked them all with numerous cuts and burns.

So close to the exit, Takao tried to push Rei to move even faster. Rei wasn't able to move any faster, but the next explosion did its best to help them the rest of the way. The latest blast threw him and Rei forward to land in a heap at the base of the stairs. Disoriented by the blast, Takao had trouble figuring out up from down. He and Rei lay sprawled together and from the dazed look on Rei's face, Takao knew Rei would not be much help in getting back up or climbing those stairs. Takao felt a moment of despair as he realized that they had almost made it out, but he was just too hurt and tired to go any farther.

"Gotcha," chirped a bright voice Takao didn't expect to hear.

A small hand reached out and pulled Takao to his feet. Before he could grasp the situation, Takao found himself leaning against the wall watching Max haul Rei to his feet.

The sight of the young blond blader brought a bit more energy to Takao and he couldn't help the smile that blossomed on his ash-streaked face. Just as quickly, his despair was banished by hope. Takao ducked under Rei's left arm while Max ducked under his right. It was a tight fit on the stairs, but that actually helped Takao. He used the wall beside him to climb. Another explosion almost dropped them all to their knees, but they managed to remain on their feet thanks to the close quarters. As he continued to climb, Takao was relieved to hear Hideaki climbing the steps behind them.

"You got 'em!"

The stairs had acted as a chimney for the smoke and, between that and how Takao had been focusing only on the next step, he hadn't noticed until that moment that the Chief was at the top of the stairs holding the door open for them.

The small brunette had gone with Max to call for help, but they had both returned as soon as the call had been made. After all, Hideaki had ordered them to leave and call the police, but he had not said anything about not coming back to help. When they had returned to the house, they weren't sure if they should go down after the others or wait for them there. The first explosion had helped them decide. When they felt the first explosion rock the house, both boys had tried to race to the stairs and tripped over the body that held the security door open. The chief had pointed out that the body would impede the others from escaping easily, so he and Max had moved the body out from where it was wedged into the closet. It had been a difficult task for the two boys, especially because they couldn't let the inner door shut or it would automatically lock.

In the end, they had both agreed it was not safe for one of them to go in alone while the other held the door. So instead, the Chief had held the inner door open while Max had waited on the stairs for their team mates.

Takao was too out of breath to say anything to the small brunette as he and Max carried Rei past him, but his smile of thanks was enough for the Chief. Hideaki shifted his burden in his arms for better balance as he reached the top of the stairs. He had been extremely irritated to see that the two boys had returned after he had told them to leave, but he wasn't going to complain now. In the end, they had been needed. Once all of them were clear from the small closet, Kenny let the door swing shut on another explosion and raced after his friend out the front door.

Takao and Max staggered to a stop in the front yard of the house to rest, but Hideaki just growled at them as he continued to run.

"We have to get farther away," Hideaki rumbled to them, his throat hoarse from his exertions within the smoky underground tunnels. "The complex spreads out from the house!"

Takao didn't need any more info. He remembered the long winding tunnels and immediately pushed himself back into motion. Max followed his lead and helped him support Rei as they ran.

The frequency of the explosions had been increasing until there was no distinction between one and another. The ground around them cracked as smoke and flames leaked up from the earth itself. They stumbled through the hell on earth until a final explosion lifted them all off their feet and threw them forward. Behind them the chateau, entirely consumed by flames collapsed in on itself.

The force of the final blast had thrown them into two separate heaps of bodies. Takao, Rei, Max and Kenny had all been running closely together, so they found themselves in a dazed tangle. Hideaki had fallen with Kai a little ways away. Hideaki had done his best to try to shield Kai from both the explosive blast and the impact with the ground but had only been partially successful with both.

For several minutes after the last blast, the only sound and movement came from the inferno as it consumed the place that had been to Kai both a refuge and a place of nightmares. Hideaki and the Breakers all lay where they had fallen, too stunned to even move. Kenny and Max were the first to fight back to awareness and after a minute or two had managed to untangle themselves from their team mates.

"I've got Takao and Rei," Kenny told Max as he knelt beside the two bladers. "You check on Kai and Houo-san."

Max nodded his assent and quickly moved to where Hideaki lay curled around Kai's body. Hideaki was too heavy for him to shift, so he concentrated on shaking him back to awareness. After a minute, Hideaki let out a soft groan and shifted his weight away from Kai. Hideaki rolled onto his back and blinked dazedly up at the night sky, confusion evident in his eyes. But when he opened his mouth, he found himself interrupted by another voice.

"Anyone get the license of the truck that hit me?' Takao groaned loudly.

The chief was helping Takao get untangled from Rei, while the bluenette continued to grouse and complain. Rei was starting to come to as well, his soft groans almost unheard in Takao's loud complaints.

Max sighed in relief to see his friends showing signs of life and went back to the task at hand. Hideaki seemed to be fine, relatively, but Kai was still lying curled on his side, unmoving on the ground.

Max was so intent on Kai that he never even heard the welcoming sound of sirens coming out of the night towards them. Kenny, ever vigilant, was the first to notice them and went running past Max to stand at the side of the road waving his arms madly for attention as a stream of fire engines, police cars and an ambulance began driving past them towards the blazing chateau. Takao had roused himself enough to start helping Rei sit up, so the Chief had taken it upon himself to get help.

"Over here!" Kenny shouted, jumping up and down. He knew they couldn't hear him over the sirens, but he couldn't stop himself from shouting for attention. Somehow it made him feel more productive.

Two of the police cars and the ambulance diverted from the stream of emergency vehicles and pulled off the road by the small boy. Detective Owaru was out of the car before it had even stopped moving.

"I heard about the fire on the radio," he said as he came up beside Kenny. "What happened?"

"Over here!" Not waiting to answer any questions, Kenny darted over to where his friends lay injured. "Everyone's hurt!"

Seeing the others scattered about the ground a little further away from the road, Detective Owaru tabled his questions and waved urgently for the ambulance to drive off the road and closer to the injured boys.

While Kenny had been signaling for help, Takao had managed to get Rei to his feet and the two had staggered over to where Max and Hideaki knelt beside Kai. The slate haired boy lay quietly, the barest rising and falling of his chest the only sign of life.

Officer Owaru had read the hospital reports of the injuries that the boy had previously sustained and why the hospital suspected abuse, but it hadn't prepared him for the sight before him. The painfully thin, pale child was covered in dirt, blood and bruises. Trying to remain professionally detached, he started moving the other boys back so the paramedics could get close enough to help Kai.

Hideaki and the Breakers didn't resist being pulled away from Kai. They were barely able to remain on their feet, much less resist the insistent pull of the police officer.

Immediately the two paramedics were on the ground beside the boy. One swiftly inserting a needle in his arm while the other titled his head back to place a clear tube down his throat to assist him with breathing.

"Kai's gonna hate that," Takao mumbled absently to Max.

Kenny overheard the comment and couldn't stop the hysterical laughter that burst out. He was just so relieved that they had found both Kai and Rei alive.

The laughter sounded so broken that it caught the second paramedic's attention as they lifted Kai onto the stretcher. He had heard that type of laughter before, laughter that warred with tears.

"We've called for more ambulances, but we can take one more with us." The medic addressed Hideaki as the only adult in the group of injured people. "He can sit up front in the cab."

Hideaki felt an intense need to go with Kai, but he knew that he didn't really have the right yet. Besides there was someone else who needed to get medical attention quickly. In one swift move, Hideaki swept Rei up from where he was leaning heavily against Takao.

"Max, get the door." Hideaki asked as he carried Rei to the front of the ambulance. Leaning into the cab as he set Rei down, he looked over at the driver, " Ask for Dr. Shin, he knows these kids."

The driver nodded to Hideaki. A knock at the window separating the cab from the back of the ambulance alerted the driver that the patient was in and that they were good to go. He hit the lights and siren and as soon as Hideaki closed the door, the ambulance kicked up dust as they pulled back onto the road and roared off.

Hideaki was watching the ambulance speed off when the detective that had questioned them in the hospital walked up beside him.

"We need to know what happened," the officer said quietly to the concerned man.

"I'll tell you everything," Hideaki finally turned to look at the man once the ambulance was out of sight. "While you are driving us to the hospital."

_~elsewhen~_

Rei was still a bit foggy from everything that had happened to him. He remembered being chained to the cell wall. He remembered Kai saying thank you, but meaning goodbye. He remembered the crimson and black flames that rose to battle for dominion over Kai's soul. All of those moments were etched painfully into his mind. He didn't think he would ever forget them; those moments would return to him again and again in his nightmares. But the rest of it was a confusing blur, Takao and Hideaki coming to rescue them seemed unreal. The memory of Kai and his rescue seemed to be only a dream. He couldn't help the feelings of dread that filled him as he considered that maybe he was still in the cell and Kai had died in front of him, just out of reach.

The explosions, heat and smoke, flame and shadow, from their escape from the underground complex felt more like hallucinations. It seemed impossible that they could have escaped the cell, the passageways, the bombs and Voltaire. Nothing had felt real again until he found himself lying on the cold ground outside. Maybe it felt real because it had felt as cold as the stone wall that he had been chained to.

_Maybe it was too much. Maybe watching Kai die drove me insane and this is all in my imagination._

Rei would have shaken his head to clear all the confused thoughts out, but his head hurt too much. Instead he put his head down into his hands and prayed that it was all real.

"It'll okay, kid. We're almost there." The concerned driver glanced over at the pained boy, but could do nothing more than he already was. The young, Chinese boy was obviously in shock, but the driver couldn't give him the help he needed. His priority was to get the two boys safely and quickly to the hospital. He had already radioed ahead so that the hospital staff would notify Dr. Shin that they were coming.

Thankfully, it was pre-dawn so there was almost no traffic on the roads. They would make it to the hospital in under 15 minutes.

Rei didn't answer the driver, he hadn't really even heard the man. Instead, he looked back through the window behind his right shoulder. With the paramedics blocking most of his view, he could only see Kai's left hand where it lay on the stretcher; the blue blade holding Dranzer still tightly grasped in his hand.

In no time, they had arrived at the hospital. Rei watched as Kai was removed from the back of the ambulance and taken into the Emergency Room. He wanted to race in after his friend, not let him out of his sight. But he was just so tired, he couldn't seem to even reach out and open the door. Luckily, he didn't have to. No sooner had the paramedics raced inside with Kai, then a couple of scrubs-clad guys came running out pushing a hospital stretcher. With what was obviously too much practice, the two men gently scooped Rei out of his seat and had him lying on the stretcher before he could even blink.

Rei tried to look around for Kai as they pushed him inside, but he couldn't seem to get his eyes to focus on anything. He saw only the blur of white walls and blue scrubs. He briefly took note when they pushed him into a small room, but then the flurry of activity around him forced him to close his eyes. His last thoughts before he lost consciousness were of his friend Kai.

_Kai's free, we got him back. He'll be fine, he has to be…_

_~elsewhere~_

Most Emergency Rooms quieted down after 3am, most patients were being discharged home and it was too early for the next major influx. Since it was after 4 am in the morning, the Emergency Room had been enjoying its usual lull in traffic. At least, it had been quiet until the 'Breakers and Hideaki had arrived with a police escort.

When Takao and the others arrived at the Emergency room, they were immediately brought back into a treatment room. The nurse had tried to take them to separate rooms, but they had refused to be separated from each other. In fact, the loud bluenette boy had insisted that they be taken to the same room as the boys that had been brought in moments before by ambulance. Thankfully, the blond with him had managed to make him understand that they'd be in the way. Taking that small victory, the nurse had given up and roomed them together.

Since there were only a few other patients in the entire department, the staff could focus on the injured children. They were all seen and stitched up within an hour. However, in that time, their worry only grew because they hadn't heard anything about Rei or Kai. Hideaki had only allowed them to care for the deepest cuts before he had left the room looking for answers, but the doctors and nurses wouldn't let any of the boys go with him. When he finally returned, he brought Dr. Shin with him.

"Doc!" shouted Takao, jumping up from the stretcher were the nurse was bandaging the last of his wounds.

Tired of wrestling with the hyperactive bluenette, the nurse heaved a sigh and with a quietly muttered 'good enough,' she left the room in defeat.

"Geez, Takao, can't you ever behave politely," Kenny was exasperated at his friends behavior. He and Max had been finished for more than 20 minutes because they had quietly allowed the staff to minister to them. Takao had asked so many questions and kept trying to get up that the nurses could barely clean and stich his wounds, much less dress them.

"Who cares about that stuff," Takao dismissed Kenny's concerns. "Doc, how are Rei and Kai?"

Dr. Shin sat down wearily on the stool beside the stretcher that Max and Kenny were sitting on. He had been working non-stop for over an hour on Kai, and had checked briefly with his peer who had been treating Rei before coming to brief Hideaki and their friends.

"Rei will be fine. He suffered multiple minor cuts and bruises, a little smoke inhalation, and shock. But he responded well to treatments and is resting quietly now. He doesn't really need it, but to be safe, I had him transferred up to the ICU so we could monitor him."

Dr. Shin would probably get in trouble with the hospital for admitting the boy to ICU when he didn't need it, but the doctor knew he would feel better if the boys were all kept as close together as possible. It would as make it easier for the police to guard them.

"Thank God," Max hugged Kenny, almost knocking off his glasses.

"What about Kai?" Kenny asked around Max's arms.

"I wish I could say the same thing about Kai," Dr. Shin sighed quietly. "Kai's in a coma. We're doing everything we can for him. He had stopped breathing on his own when the ambulance arrived, so we have him on a machine that is breathing for him. We also have him on multiple medications to help his heart try to beat more strongly. We almost had to put him on something called a trans-venous pacemaker, because his heart's rhythm was so erratic. But the medications are holding him for now, so we will wait and see and hope that they are enough."

The doctor gave them a moment to absorb this before going on. He didn't want to scare them, but he needed to tell them about what they would see when they went in to see Kai, otherwise, they would be even more terrified.

"We also had to place a couple chest tubes. It seems that he received multiple blows to the chest and this resulted in several broken ribs. These broken ribs tore at his lungs and caused him to bleed internally. The chest tubes let his lungs expand properly so that he can breathe better. We're also giving him several units of blood to replace the blood that he had lost internally."

Takao had joined Max and Kenny on the stretcher partway through the doctor's update. Now the three sat huddled together, hugging each other in search of comfort at the increasingly bad news.

"When can we see him," Hideaki asked what they others wanted to.

We're transferring him up to ICU in just a little bit. Why don't you go upstairs to the ICU now and see Rei first? He's in Bed 8. Kai should be placed in the room right next door to his. I'll tell the nurse to come get you as soon as he can have visitors."

"Got it," Takao hardly allowed the doctor to finish before he had hopped off the stretcher and starting pulling Max and Kenny toward the door.

"Thank you, doctor," Kenny managed to add over his shoulder before he was forcibly dragged out by Takao.

"They're good kids, ne?" Dr. Shin said quietly to Hideaki who had remained behind. The sorrow that such horrible things could happen to such good kids hanging heavily on his voice.

"Yeah," Hideaki's reply answered both the question and the sorrow. There was a moment of quiet sadness shared between the two before Hideaki met the doctor's eyes and brought up the reason why he had stayed behind. "Dr. Shin, do you have the results from the blood work?"

~_meanwhile~_

Takao, Kenny, and Max didn't waste any time getting up to the ICU. In the past few days, they had gotten very familiar with the hospitals layout and so they raced through familiar hallways easily traversing the way from the ER to the ICU. They didn't even want to wait for the elevator; when the elevator didn't appear immediately after they pushed the button, all three turned and raced up the stairs. The secretary at the front desk had been warned by the ER nurse that the boys were on their way and so she was actually standing there holding the ICU security door open for them when they arrived.

"Thanks," Max smiled brightly up at the secretary as the three raced past her.

The only thing that stopped them from flinging open the door to Bed 8 was the police officer standing outside the room. After the last incident with Kai and Rei being kidnapped, the hospital had asked for outside help from the police force. Now instead of hospital security, the police would be guarding the 'Breakers.

"And you would be…?" The officer asked as he looked down at the three ash coated boys before him. When he had been assigned guard duty for the injured boy inside, he had been briefed on each of the 'Breakers and told a little about what they had been through. He didn't really want to stop them, but he took his job very seriously and was going to follow procedure exactly. He wasn't going to let the child he was guarding be injured again.

"We're the 'Breakers," Takao huffed indignantly. "Don't you recognize us?"

"Sir, if you please," Kenny stepped in front of Takao. "I'm Kenny, this is Max and Takao. We're part of the Blade Breakers and we were told we could come up and visit our friend Rei."

"I just need to confirm that," the office nodded at Kenny and turned to speak softly into the radio on his shoulder. After a minute of conversation, he turned back to the three boys in front of him. "I've confirmed that you can see Rei. Please go ahead."

He stepped aside from the door and reached out to open it for them, but Takao beat him to it.

"Rei!" Takao exclaimed loudly as he burst through the door into the room.

Max and Kenny pushed in behind him, overjoyed to see Rei sitting up in bed.

"Takao, Max, Kenny!" Rei smiled radiantly at them. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Are you okay?" Max's blue eyes showed his concern as he took in the injuries his friend had suffered.

"We were so worried about you," Kenny added.

"I'm fine, thanks to you guys." Rei smiled at them briefly before adding, "How's Kai? Have you gotten to see him yet?

"Not yet," Takao answered seriously. "He's hurt pretty bad. They said they would come get us when we could go see him."

"How bad is he?"

Kenny took it on himself to relay what the doctor told him. When he had gotten to the part about Kai's broken ribs, Rei felt tears filling his eyes again.

"Rei," Max saw the tears and went to sit beside Rei on the bed. "Rei, it's okay, you're safe. Both of you are safe."

The others joined them silently on the bed giving him all the support they could muster. They sat hugging each other for several minutes, only looking up when the door opened to admit Hideaki.

"They're bringing Kai up now, but they need a little time to settle him in the room." Hideaki informed the 'Breakers.

Rei nodded an acknowledgement to the crimson-eyed man and pulling back a little from his friends. The other boys let him pull back, but stayed close to him on the bed.

"What happened, Rei?" Takao asked, filling the time until they could visit their friend. "We got a call that you and Kai were missing from the hospital and when we got here, there was a big pool of blood in Kai's room."

"That was from the guy with the scars. He and Voltaire had come to kidnap Kai again. Kai was too weak to fight himself. I tried to call for help or fight them, but the scarred guy was too strong. All I ended up doing was watching as they grabbed Kai."

"But you said the blood was from that creepy, scarred guy." Takao interrupted. "If you and Kai couldn't fight him, how did he get hurt?"

"I'm coming to that, Takao," Rei didn't mind the interruption, he had trouble accepting this part himself. "There was a falling out. Kai couldn't fight physically, but he was still doing everything he could to resist. And that's when he realized…"

_"He killed her," Kai's eyes held sudden understanding. "He killed his own daughter."_

No one spoke when Rei fell silent in remembrance. It was a couple minutes before he could speak again.

"When Kai realized that his mother had been killed by his grandfather."

"What?!"

A chorus of shocked exclamations came from everyone in the room.

"He killed his own daughter?" Takao knew he shouldn't have been shocked by anything Voltaire did, but it still seemed like too much.

"Marya," Hideaki said quietly to himself.

"Yes, I guess Kai's grandfather had let Kai carry the blame for her death. And the scarred guy most have really cared about her because when he found out it was Voltaire, and not Kai, that killed her, he attacked Voltaire. Voltaire just laughed and shot him."

Max, Kenny and Takao were listening wide-eyed to Rei. Never in a million years could they have imagined that scenario.

Takao had a billion questions to ask, but he didn't mind the interruption that prevented him from asking them.

"Excuse me," a timid nurse ducked her head in the room. "You can visit you friend now if you'd like."

She almost didn't get out of the way in time. All 4 boys jumped off the bed and raced to the door. Rei was only slowed a bit by all the wires attaching him to the monitor, but it just took a second to pull all the stickers off and he staggered through the door with Max's help.

"Wait, you can't go!" The nurse was almost knocked down again when she tried to get in front of Rei to stop him.

"I think you're going to have to give up on trying to stop any of those children from going to their friend." Hideaki said kindly to the nurse as he prevented her fall. "Believe me, it's a lost cause."

The nurse opened her mouth to argue, but saw the conviction in his crimson eyes and instead turned to the monitor and silenced it alarms by turning it off.

Hideaki smiled at her and turned to follow the boys into the room next door.

Things were very different in the room than the last time they had been in a hospital room with Kai. For one, there was an added rhythmic hiss from the machine beside the bed that was giving Kai breaths through the tube in his throat. Also, Kai was sprouting more tubes and wires than he had before. There were the same small tubes that seemed to be giving him nutrition and medicines, but there were also two large tubes coming from bandages taped to his sides that led down to canisters on the floor that contained what looked like dark blood.

No one approached the bed, they were too fearful of disturbing anything that was attached to their friend.

The only familiar thing in the room was the blue blade that remained clasped in his hand.

"I told them to leave it there." Hideaki answered the questions he could see in the boys' eyes. "Kai needs all the help he can get."

"But what if…" Rei stumbled on his question, not know how to voice his concern.

"I don't think it will cause any harm." Hideaki knew Rei was fearful of Kai and the phoenix being consumed together. "Everything that can possibly be done is being done, but if it's not enough…At least Kai won't be alone."

_~and then~_

The 'Breakers quickly found themselves falling back into a routine, taking turns staying with their hospitalized team mates and meeting every morning with Dr. Shin. The main difference was that now Detective Owaru joined them for those morning updates. And, unlike the doctor who never had anything new to tell the group, the officer always seemed to bring them something new. Three days after Kai and Rei were rescued, the detective told them that the arson investigators had discovered that the bombs had been set to go off in a cascading pattern. They couldn't fathom why, but it was the only reason that the boys had made it out of the complex alive. If the bombs had all gone off at once, they would never have escaped the inferno.

On the fifth day, Detective Owaru told them that three bodies had been recovered from the ruins, but that only one of them was positively identifiable. It was official, Kai's grandfather, Voltaire Hiwatari was dead. He had been found in the heart of the complex with the remains of another man. This man hadn't been identified, but the forensics lab had matched the DNA to the blood that had been found in Kai's hospital room, on the bombs, and on the soles of Takao and Hideaki's shoes. No one had been more surprised to hear this than Hideaki; that the man who had tried to kill him so long ago, and more recently had abducted and almost killed Kai had somehow helped them escape.

Each day that passed was initially taken as a sign of triumph. The Blade Breakers hoping that Kai would gain strength in this time. But as the days turned into weeks, the hope turned more to despair. The fear and despair could only build so long until it had to be released.

"I can't take this anymore!" Takao leapt out of his seat and raged at the unconscious boy in the bed in front of him. "Kai, you rude, arrogant prick. You always thought you were such hot shit! You can beat anyone in a fight, right? You're stronger than all of us combined, right? Prove it. Wake the hell up and just try to kick my ass. I dare you!"

Takao advanced on Kai, intent on shaking the boy awake. Max quickly intercepted him, pulling him into a hug.

"Enough, Takao!" Max tightened his grip on the bluenette. "I know you're upset, but that's not helping."

"Take it outside, Takao," Rei had moved to stand between the angry blader and Kai. He was mad to at the situation, but there was no way in hell that he would allow anyone to take out their unfocused anger on Kai. Not even himself.

Takao angrily shrugged out of Max's arms and stormed out the door. Max quickly followed him, not wanting him to be alone. Kenny looked after them with concern, but didn't want to leave Rei by himself.

"Go ahead after them, Kenny," Rei gave him permission. "I'll be fine alone with Kai. Max might need help with Takao."

Kenny didn't hesitate after that and darted out of the room after his friends.

"Alone at last," Rei said softly to Kai.

Out of concern for their friends, Max, Takao, and Kenny had not let Rei be alone, whether it was with Kai or by himself. Rei understand their concern and normally he was quite social, but he was feeling rather smothered by all the attention.

"I think I understand a bit better how you must have felt, Kai." Rei squeezed Kai's hand gently. "We always pushed our friendship on you and expected you to return it in ways that we could recognize. We never really tried to understand who you were or to take you as you were. We must have been driving you crazy. I'm sorry"

Rei paused, hoping for some sign that Kai heard him, but there was no answering squeeze to his hand.

But as if Kai had answered with his trademarked 'hn,' Rei continued.

"Kai, you're safe now. we're all safe. Your grandfather is gone and he won't ever be able to bother you again. You have to come back to us. Takao's right, you are the strongest of all of us and we need that strength right now. Kai, we're all here for you. We will be your friends no matter what. And if you have to leave us, we will always wait for you to come back to us. But, Kai, please come back to us now. Without you, we are all so lost."

Rei put his head down on the bed next to Kai's hand. He was so drained, he didn't ever realize how tired he was until he new noises in the room pulled him from his sleep.

"Kai! Rei! Rei, get up!"

Rei jerked up from where he rested and looked blearily around the room. Takao, Max, and Kenny were jumping around like mad men, dancing in aimless circles in the room. Rei quickly looked up at Kai and found himself lost in scorching crimson eyes.

-tbc-

I know I said I could finish this in one more chapter, but as I was getting to page 28, I decided you might want to have readable chapters. The good news is that the last chapter is about 90% done. I'm not liking the flow, so I'm doing some polishing and rewording of some of it. But, hopefully, I can have it out for everyone as a holiday present.

That is, if anyone is still reading my story.

As always, Bring the Sun!

The last chapter will be **The Circumstances of a World So Cold**


	33. The Circumstances of a World So Cold

**Disclaimer:** Wow, this is the last one I'm going to make for this story. _Big grin_ One last time, I don't own any cute anime, bishie boys, or excellent songs. I do claim an overwhelming happiness that this story is now complete.

**Warning:** A tiny bit of cursing. And a whole bunch of sugar.

**Author's notes:** For good or ill, this story is finally done, finite, over, owaru. I have loved every minute of writing it. And I loved hearing from all of you throughout this journey. There are too many to thank, but I do want to say I couldn't have finished this without the encouragement of my imouto (you know who you are). I placed her picture of Kai as the book cover to this story so you all could see it. Thank you for your encouragement and your patience. I love all of you.

Now enjoy the last chapter in this endless story. (It's a bit early for presents, but go ahead and open this one early)

**A World So Cold**

**Chapter XXXIII: The Circumstance of a World So Cold.**

Kai improved daily from there on. Each day saw the number of tubes and machines attached to the boy decrease. Kai still wasn't able to interact with them much. The nurses had to sedate him pretty deeply to keep him from fighting the ventilator, but each day was a victory to the 'Breakers.

It was almost a week before the doctor decided that Kai was strong enough to come off the ventilator. By this time most of the supporting medications had been turned off and the chest tubes had been removed. Kai was beginning to look more human and less like the subject of strange alien experiment. Dr. Shin even allowed Hideaki and the 'Breakers to remain in the room while they extubated Kai. As soon as the tube was removed, Kai coughed and uncharacteristically couldn't stop himself from expressing how he felt his time on the ventilator.

"Shit," Kai coughed as the tube came free.

"Tell us how you really feel," Takao laughed at the team leader's uncharacteristic breach of silence.

Hearing his friend's voice, Kai looked dazedly around the room. The doctors had turned off the sedation, but it was still working it's way through his system.

"Rei…?" Kai coughed, his throat too dry to continue his question.

"Right here, Kai," Rei stepped forward so Kai could focus on him more easily. "We're all here."

"Yeah, we saved your ass," the bluenette taunted.

Kai didn't deign to reply, but merely turned to glare at the boisterous boy. His usual knife's edge glare was severely hampered by the medications and looked as intimidating as something Takao might be able to produce. This only fueled his team's laughter. Even if he was not even at half-strength, Kai was back.

~_days later~_

"Hey man, shouldn't you slow down?"

"Hn"

"You've only been awake for a couple days. Take it easy dude," Takao tried again as he followed in the slate-haired boy's wake. The other 'Breakers were having lunch and so it was Takao's turn to 'Kai-sit' as he called it. A term that he didn't dare use in his leaders presence.

Kai felt he was going slowly enough already. Flanked by two physical therapists and holding onto an IV pole for support, Kai felt like turtles should be racing past him.

_Hn. Almost feels like home. Hooked up to chemicals and followed by two big guys who are there to 'protect me.'_

Kai had to actively fight against the constant need to try to break into a run and 'escape.' It was a good thing for the hospital staff that he hadn't improved enough to do more than just walk yet. And even at that rate, he only lasted about 15 minutes.

"Just want to make it to the door." Kai told his 'helpers' when they indicated that it was time to turn around.

The two men quickly acquiesced; they had learned the hard way that there was no point in trying to argue with the determined boy. Early on in their care of Kai, the hospital staff had discovered that the challenge would not be in helping Kai push forward to recovery, but rather to try to keep the boy from pushing himself back into a relapse. The physical therapists stopped by to see him everyday and they had trouble keeping him from pushing himself to collapse. He wasn't satisfied with sitting up in bed, he had to get up and stand. When they took him for his first walk around the unit, he wasn't satisfied with one lap around the unit and returning to his room; he had just headed toward the ICU's front doors. It only took a one visit before they learned to bring a wheelchair along so that when he finally couldn't stand anymore, they could wheel him back to his room.

Kai had made it further today than before. He had managed to make it out of the ICU and was almost to the front door of the hospital. He knew that even if he made it out the front door, he wouldn't be free yet, but he couldn't deny the need to get there.

Intellectually, Kai knew he was safe. The police had stopped by and informed him of his Grandfather's death shortly after he had awoken. But even knowing this, Kai couldn't allow himself any weakness. Kai still didn't _feel_ safe. He hadn't felt safe since the moment his five-year old self had walked into the Abby for the very first time. He didn't know if this would ever change, so he just pushed on as he always had.

"Just want to see the outside…" Kai said quietly to himself.

_I feel like I haven't even smelled the air outside since the moment the bomb destroyed the balcony window in Russia. _

Kai felt himself weakening as he got closer to the doors, but still managed to stumble out into the chilly fresh air on his own. Closing his eyes, he lifted his face towards the warmth of the sun and inhaled deeply. His ribs still ached fiercely when he took a deep breath, but right now it was a good pain, a healing pain.

Only when he just could not last another second did Kai finally open his eyes and turn to sit heavily in the wheelchair the man beside him had brought along.

"I'd like to stay out here for a while." Kai was tired to his bones, but just couldn't face the sterile white walls of the hospital anymore.

"I'll stay with him and push him back to his room in a little bit." Takao volunteer when he saw the two men were hesitant to let Kai stay outside.

After making the bluenette promise to bring Kai in soon, the two men left the boys to enjoy the fresh air.

Several minutes went silently by, with nothing more then the bird song to fill them.

"Thanks." Kai said softly, not looking up at his teammate.

Takao couldn't stop the startled glance he threw at Kai at the words of appreciation. He couldn't ever remember hearing Kai say thank you to anyone. For once, he was speechless.

"After everything you all went through, all the times I hurt you, even though I've been an arrogant prick, you guys still risked your lives to save me. I don't understand it, but…thanks."

"What are friends for?" Takao answered simply, smiling his usual goofy grin.

Kai lapsed into silence at this, but that was fine with Takao. He filled the time with grandiose stories of his exploits in rescuing Kai. He got so involved in his story, that he was acting out various poses and waving his hands around in emphasis. And this was fine by Kai, it was just like coming home.

_~30 minutes later~_

Takao was a bit later than his promise, wheeling Kai back to his room 30 minutes later when they heard loud arguing coming from Kai's room.

"You are being a fool! This is yet another trick, another trap. And you are leaping into it with both feet!"

"Isamu-niisan, there is no trap. If you would just listen to me," Hideaki's voice was cut off.

"Listen to what, more foolishness!"

Takao looked down at Kai questioningly. Kai had gotten used to seeing Hideaki each day. The two didn't really speak, but were more cautiously aware of each other. However, he had never met the elder Houo brother. And Takao realized, that he and the other 'Breakers hadn't really said much about him either. Takao hesitated outside the room, not wanting to bring Kai into the middle of someone else's argument, but not really knowing where else to go.

"If you guys are going to fight, you need to leave." Rei's voice sounded firmly from inside the room. "Kai has been through enough without dealing with your personal problems."

Takao took that as a sign to turn the wheelchair around, he would just push Kai back outside and give them time to leave. But Kai was obviously reading something else into what he heard. The slate-haired boy pushed himself out of the wheelchair and entered the room without any warning.

_Rei doesn't need to fight my battles. If that is Hideaki's brother, then Ran was his son. I have to face him now._

When Kai entered the room, he found Rei, Hideaki and another crimson-eyed man standing glaring at each other. The stranger sputtered angrily at Rei's nerve to demand he leave, but stopped when he say the injured boy enter the room.

Kai walked slowly forward until he was standing directly in front of the crimson-eyed stranger. "You're Ran's father." Kai's voice held the finality of a statement, but his own crimson eyes stared questioningly into the man in front of him.

"Yes," the older brother was almost spitting in his anger. "Ran was my son."

Bowing shakily, Kai stared at the floor and said, "I do not ask for forgiveness. Ran died because of me. I'm sorry."

The admission of guilt infuriated the man and he blindly lashed out to strike at the boy who dared to try to apologize for the death of his only son.

"No!" Hideaki grabbed his brother's arm and flung him back against the wall while Rei stepped up to Kai's side. "I won't let you touch him."

"You dare defend him!" Isamu staggered upright, leaning against the wall.

"You are my older brother, and you have always protected me. But right now I don't need you to protect me. I need you to listen. Not to me, but to these kids."

Hideaki motioned to the 'Breakers scattered around the room. Rei ignored the two brothers and instead helped Kai into bed. Takao had abandoned the wheelchair by the door and stood between the arguing men and his friends. Max and Kenny stood silently watching from the window.

"Why?" Isamu answered angrily, "Why should I listen to anything these children have to say?"

"It's time everything was laid out." Hideaki answered softly. "For Kai. And for Ran."

Isamu stared at each boy, ending with Kai, before he stalked over to sit in the chair farthest from the bed.

"Kai, I know we haven't talked about everything that happened, but I think we need to." Hideaki turned to Kai. "I think together, we have all the pieces to the puzzle."

Kai honestly didn't really care about the whys or wherefores. Answers wouldn't change what had happened, but he knew that answers were all that he had to atone with to Ran's father so he nodded his agreement to Hideaki.

"I believe this all started with my Great-grandmother, Kuraiko. Grandfather spoke vehemently about how she had been betrayed by the Houo family and then disinherited by her own family because of that."

"Kuraiko?" Isamu interrupted. "She was a thief. She tried to steal the phoenix, so, of course, there was no way we would allow her to marry into our family."

"That is not how Grandfather saw it. He believed she had a right to the phoenix that the Houo family denied her. Everything else that followed was somehow designed to steal the phoenix and bring it to where he thought it 'rightfully belonged.'"

"Impossible," Isamu scoffed. "The phoenix is our guardian. Something like that can't be stolen."

"Obviously, it can be." Takao answered him angrily, pointing at the blue blade that Kai held gently.

Isamu almost jumped up again at the sight of the phoenix, but Hideaki's hand on his shoulder stopped him from rising.

"Stop interrupting and just listen for a while," Hideaki entreated his older brother. "It is possible, but only by someone willing to do anything and sacrifice anyone to achieve it."

"That's right," Kenny piped in. "Voltaire basically set a trap for it."

Kai looked contemplatively at Kenny, he hadn't thought of it that way, but Kenny was right. Voltaire set a trap and he had been the bait.

"Voltaire wanted a tool that you and your family would empathize with so he kidnapped Hotaru and forced her to have his child." Kenny explained what they had discovered.

"He knew he couldn't take the phoenix himself," Kai added to Kenny's story. "I think he wanted a daughter to lure the phoenix. As soon as she had produced a daughter, Hotaru was of no use to him so he killed her."

Isamu was too shocked at the casual mention of murder to interrupt. He had heard of stories of his father's fiancé running away, but he never imagined that she had been kidnapped and murdered.

"I don't think his daughter was exactly what he expected, though," Hideaki commented, thinking back to the sad, beautiful girl that he had fallen in love with.

"No, instead of luring the phoenix, she got pregnant with me." Kai continued. "Grandfather must have changed his plans then and decided to groom me to take the phoenix."

"I don't think he changed anything," Hideaki couldn't help saying. "I think you were part of his plan from the beginning."

"So you admit that you were raised to steal the phoenix." Isamu accused, preventing Hideaki from continuing with his line of thought.

"Shut up, you jerk," Takao shouted at the older brother. "Sure he was 'raised' by Voltaire, if that's what you call abuse and torture."

"You don't know anything about Kai," Max added. "Kai spent his childhood in the hands of that sadistic bastard. The hospital hasn't even finished documenting all the injuries he suffered at his grandfather's hands, not to mentioned that he was almost killed by Voltaire."

"It's okay, guys," Kai waved off their indignation. "He's right. From about 5 years old, Voltaire did everything he could to turn me into a ruthless automaton. There's no use going into all that happened, but I will say that he almost succeeded. If it hadn't been for Nadya, Ran, and my friends here, I'm sure he would have destroyed my soul completely. I tried to rebel against him and he destroyed everything that I cared about and threatened to kill Ran."

Kai closed his eyes, remembering everything that had happened. Struggling to keep his voice even, Kai told of how he and Nadya had tried to escape, how Nadya was killed, and then of his battle with Ran and its aftermath. Through it all, Isamu listened intently. For almost 4 years, he had held out some hope that he would find his son. And he had known that if he discovered that his son was dead, he would utterly destroy the person or persons responsible. Only now he knew, and now he had someone to blame. But the boy before him had already been destroyed by his own family and Voltaire, who had engineered everything, was already dead. Isamu felt completely lost with no one to spend his rage on.

"But Grandfather could not control the new phoenix, Dranzer." Kai continued on about what occurred after Ran's death. "Since Dranzer had bonded with me, all he could do was try to clone Dranzer. That didn't work out well for him, though. The false phoenix was incomplete and I used it to destroy the abbey and then ran away."

Kai paused in his condensed recall. He had just spent the last hour dredging up the worst moments of his short life. He was exhausted mentally and physically.

Rei saw this and picked up the story. He told of how the Blade Breakers had formed as a team and their journey together. He didn't leave anything out. Not even when Kai turned on them and returned to Voltaire in the Russian tournament. Rei knew Kai was working hard to atone for his mistakes, real and presumed, and he wouldn't thank Rei for glossing over anything. When he reached the explosive fight in their hotel room in Russia, Rei began taking turns with the other 'Breakers to tell of how they were tricked into believing that Kai had died, and how the searched for him after they had discovered he was still alive.

"That's when we met you both," Kenny summed up the story with the encounter with the Houo brother in the woods.

"You already know what happened after that," Hideaki said. He had already told his brother about how Kai had returned to battle his friends in the clearing and how he had returned to them and been hospitalized.

"We thought we were pretty safe in the hospital," Rei sighed with defeat at the memory of his and Kai's kidnapping. "But that wasn't the case."

Quickly, Rei summed up how they were stolen from the hospital and imprisoned in the cell under the chateau. Kai stayed silent, he was glad Rei was telling this part, it had been hard enough accepting death the first time, he really didn't want to relive it by talking about it. When Rei reached the moment that the crimson and black flames rose around Kai, he paused in his tale.

"There is one thing I don't get," Rei spoke up in the silence. "Well, I guess more than one. First, Kai? You were going to sacrifice yourself, weren't you? You planned on using your death to reincarnate the phoenix?" The last bit sounded more accusatory then inquiring.

"…yes…," Kai said, not quite meeting Rei's eyes. "It was the only plan I could come up with that might save you and also stop all of Grandfather's plans. If I took Black Dranzer into my soul, and then used our deaths to cause the phoenix-fire, Dranzer could reincarnate into a guardian spirit for you just like he did for me. Plus, I thought it might be the only way to get rid of Black Dranzer."

"That's insane," Takao jumped up, furious at his leader. "How dare you even think of dying on us!"

_I told you, 'and then we die' was not a good plan. _Dranzer had to add his two cents worth to the conversation.

"I know, I know" Kai tried to placate his friends as they all added their own comments on his stupidity. " But I was running out of options. I figured I was dead one way or another, and Grandfather had pretty much told me that after I died, he'd kill Rei. So I thought I might as well try to use my death to save Rei. It wasn't fair that he was caught up in my problems just because he was trying to be my friend."

"Kai, I appreciate what you were trying to do," Rei waved at the others to hush them. "But you still don't seem to understand. I'm not trying to be your friend. I am your friend. And I didn't get caught up in your problems. Your problems **are** my problems. Besides all that, I could never be happy if your life was the cost of mine. How would you have felt if our roles were reversed? What would you have said to me if I tried to do what you did?"

"I would have told you to stop. And if you didn't, I would have stopped you myself." Kai answered truthfully.

"Then why is it okay for you to sacrifice yourself for me and not me for you?" Rei pushed the point.

"Because it's me." Kai answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Even with everything that his friends had done for him, he still couldn't see himself as being worth that kind of sacrifice.

The room fell still at Kai's response. Then, one by one, the 'Breakers joined their captain on his bed.

"Kai, you may be an arrogant, stuck up, thoughtless prick," Takao put his arm around Kai's shoulder.

"Thanks," Kai glared at the bluenette.

"But," Takao continued, "you're our arrogant, stuck up, thoughtless prick. And I wouldn't want you to be anyone else. You're one of my best friends. I recently spent a few days learning what my life would be like without you and, let's just say, it thoroughly sucked. I never want to go through that again."

"I'm sorry that it might have felt like we were not accepting of you," Max said quietly. "We just couldn't seem to see you clearly. Kai, you are one of the bravest, smartest, and most loyal people I've ever known and I'm proud to call you a friend."

"I thought Mr. D was insane when he named you team captain." Kenny admitted. "I didn't think you cared about anyone but yourself. Boy was I wrong. I'm sorry I misjudged you. Thank you for always taking care of us."

Kai couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. His eyes felt heavy with unshed tears and he looked down at the bedspread clenched in his fists to hide his eyes from his friends.

Rei reached out and tilted Kai's head up so he could look in his eyes.

"It seems like an eternity ago that I told you that we care about you. Do you believe me now? We are friends, now and forever."

_Kai, you've always put yourself last. You decided you could be content as long as you were the only one hurting. But that was wrong. Friends share pain. And they share joy. Friends make life worth living. Don't push them away. Please accept what they are offering._

Kai nodded a silent acknowledgement to Dranzer's words.

"I…" Kai cleared his throat, trying to keep his tears from showing. "I will try to be worthy of your friendship."

Takao rolled his eyes at this and leapt on Kai, tackling him back against the bed in a bear hug. Laughing, Max and Kenny quickly joined the melee. Kai tried to dig his way out from under his three enthusiastic teammates, but Rei had to come to his rescue, pulling the giggling boys off one at a time.

"Do you understand now?" Hideaki quietly asked his brother.

"I understand, but I still think you would be safer breaking all ties with these children." Isamu answered him. "You and I have suffered too much from the Hiwatari family to needlessly involve ourselves with them."

"It isn't needless," Hideaki rebutted, turning away from his brother. "Rei, you had another question?"

"I have a question," Kenny intercepted the conversation. "Kai, what happened to Black Dranzer? Rei told us that the blade was destroyed, but the metal piece that Voltaire forced on you is still there. And obviously your plan, you know, the plan you made that disregarded our concern for you and would have ended in your death, didn't work. So is Black Dranzer really gone?"

Everyone turned to look at Kai intently. Rei had been meaning to ask Kai this himself, but he had actually been waiting for a moment alone with Kai.

_I guess Kenny thought it was something we all needed to know about, _Rei thought. _He's probably right. If it was something bad, Kai would try to keep it from us to protect us._

Kai sighed quietly, he had not intended to talk to the others about this, but now he didn't really have a choice. He had told himself he had to be completely honest for Ran's sake and it had backed him into a corner.

"No," Kai admitted. "Black Dranzer is not gone, exactly."

"What the hell does 'not gone exactly' mean?" Takao exclaimed.

"I mean that while Black Dranzer's blade **is **gone, his spirit is not. But he isn't a danger to you guys anymore. He can't battle or claim other spirits anymore, but he's not exactly gone."

"What do you mean by 'not exactly gone?" Max asked.

"I'm more interested in the 'not a danger to '_you guys'_ anymore part of that explanation," Rei glared at Kai.

Kai had to admit, Rei had a pretty intimidating glare when he wanted to.

"He's here," Kai motioned to his chest. "The first part of my plan actually worked just like I planned. I opened myself to our bond and we battled for dominance. He tried to devour me, but I pulled him into myself instead. I guess you could say I won."

"That's a really crappy prize for first place," Takao commented.

"So why isn't he draining you anymore?" Rei wanted to know. "The last time you bonded with Black Dranzer, he was working hard to suck the life out of you. How can you survive with him feeding off you like that?"

"It's not the same," Kai answered Rei's fear with confidence. "He isn't bonded to me, he's a part of me now."

"I don't think I like the latter any better than the former," Kenny agreed with Rei's apprehension.

Takao looked confused at Kenny's phrasing, but he did agree with his hesitant tone. "Aren't you still in danger from Black Dranzer then?"

Kai wasn't sure what he could say to assuage his friends' fears. He didn't know if he had the words to describe it. He placed his hand lightly on his chest, reaching out mentally towards where Black Dranzer resided in his soul.

What had once been a vast echoing and aching hole, a vacuum that had torn at his soul greedily trying to devour it to fill that hollow space, was now something completely different. It had changed in a very primal way. He could still feel a light echo of the previous emptiness, but now there was also a strange contentment to the feeling.

Black Dranzer had been created as a flawed clone. By himself, he was empty, like a black hole, trying desperately to pull in everything around him to feel something. But it was different for him now. He was finally complete because he was just a small part of something infinitely greater than himself. Just as a black hole was merely a speck in the grander universe about it, Black Dranzer's spirit had become just a small existence in the infinite reaches of the soul surrounding him. He didn't hold the feelings and desires he had craved, instead he now was a part of all those emotions and memories. They surrounded him and provided him with something he had never felt before, a sense of comfort and completeness.

"No," Kai answered his friend's fears. "I really don't think I'm in any danger from Black Dranzer. Somehow, what I did seems to have changed him a bit. He still draws some energy from me, but it is so slight, my bond with Dranzer is more than enough to supplement the tiny amount he needs from me. And he seems…content… is the best word I can find, with just existing in me. I don't feel any type of drain or demand from him. Besides, I don't think he can harm me, even if he wanted to."

None of the' Breakers were especially reassured by Kai's answer, but they knew that there wasn't anything that they could do to interfere with the situation. They would have to trust Kai.

"Okay, Kai," Rei wanted one last reassurance. "Just promise me one thing. If that ever changes, if Black Dranzer returns to what he was and begins to cause you harm, you will tell us."

"Fine," Kai agreed. He was happy to promise anything if it got his friends to stop worrying about him.

"That was too easy," Takao grumbled, glaring suspiciously at Kai.

"What can I say," Kai answered Takao's weak stare, "I'm a changed man."

That triggered a repeat attack from Takao and this time even Rei joined in with the others in pinning Kai in a hug.

"You guys –**have**- to stop doing that," Kai complained breathlessly as he finally succeeded in pushing Takao off the bed.

"One last question," Rei was a bit breathless himself from laughter as Takao climbed back onto the bed to sit with his friends. "It's about after Takao and Houo-san came to rescue us. I truly thought you guys were too late. Black Dranzer's flames had disappeared and Dranzer's flames were rising up to take Kai. But, somehow, Houo-san, you stopped them. I don't see how you could have done this. The phoenix, Zephyr was your family's guardian spirit, but when Dranzer born, he bonded with Kai. So you shouldn't have be able to call upon him, correct?"

"Yes, you're correct." Hideaki agreed with Rei's statement. He had been trying to think of a way to say this before, but he somehow he had never found a good way. Now was as good a time as any. "Well, half correct. You have made a mistaken assumption."

"Kai, do you remember when I told you that I thought you were a part of your grandfather's scheme all along?"

Kai nodded, his eyes normally bright crimson eyes darkening in confusion.

"I don't think Marya was a trap for the phoenix. I think she was a trap for me."

Confused looks met him from around the room as Hideaki continued. "I met Marya when I was in high school. I fell in love with her, and I truly think she loved me, too. We were together only a short time before she just disappeared. When I found out you were her son, Kai, I asked the doctors to do another blood test."

"You see, the phoenix is still my family's guardian. I..," Hideaki cleared his throat, trying again. "I'm your father, Kai."

The abrupt statement brought an echoing silence, until the sound of heavy, fake mechanical breathing sounded loudly through the room.

"Luke, ~**heavy breathe~, **I am your f- Ow!"

The bluenette found himself lying on the floor again after Max, Kenny and Rei all reflexively kicked him off the bed.

"Hey, you were all thinking it," Takao complained defensively from the floor.

"Yes, but you were the only one tactless enough to say it," Kenny rolled his eyes at Takao.

"Come on, guys," Max looked around at his friends. "Lets get some air."

Rei gave Kai a gentle squeeze on his arm before following the rest of the 'Breakers out of the room. Hideaki nodded at his brother to give him some time alone and, reluctantly, Isamu complied.

Kai started intently into the crimson eyes of the man before him. It was too much to handle. He had thought he understood everything, but now, it was like he had known nothing at all. And certain things that had never made sense suddenly came into a clearer light.

_Is it true? Is it possible? If he_ _is my father, then that means Ran was my cousin? Do I even want it to be true?_

Kai felt a new pain surfacing. He had always believed that the only family he had left was his grandfather. And in an odd way, that had been a relief. All the pain and death of those he loved and those who should have loved him had made him wary of the entire concept of family.

_Why should he be any different? I caused the deaths of the woman he loved and the nephew that he doted on. Why should he care anything about me? He doesn't even know me._

"Kai?" Hideaki said cautiously, trying to pull Kai out of his deep thoughts. "Kai? I'm sorry to spring this on you, but you needed to know."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I had the doctors take blood from me and compare it to yours. It's definite."

"When did you find out?" Kai was still struggling to accept the information.

"I had the tests started before Voltaire took you from the hospital, but I didn't have the results back until after we had brought you out from that cell."

"Is that why you came after me?" _Did you somehow feel obligated to save me because of some possible blood test?_

"No, I would have come after you no matter what the tests said."

"Why?" _Why would you care?_

"Kai, I didn't know it at the time, but somehow my nephew Ran gave me a gift that I'm just now starting to comprehend." Hideaki sighed deeply, running his hand tiredly through his hair. "You see, because I was worried about him, I used to go to the clearing that you and he would meet in. I'd watch you two play together. I saw you challenge each other to beybattles. I watched you defend each other as valiant samurai or defend the galaxy as power rangers." Hideaki laughed at the memory of the boys racing through the clearing battling imaginary monsters.

"I wasn't there everyday, but I did get to see you grow up over the years." Hideaki felt tears gather in his own eyes. "I never imagined I was watching my own child from afar. From too far. I wish I had known. I wish I could have taken you away from that world that you were trapped in."

Kai didn't answer him, but just continued to watch him warily.

"I know that you've lived a long time on your own, but I want you to know that I want to be there for you. I want to be your father. In truth and not just in name. I understand if this isn't something that you want or are ready for. You don't know me, why should you trust me? But, please, just consider it. Even if you don't want to live with me in my home, maybe you'd be willing to meet with me occasionally. We can take our time and just get to know each other a little at a time."

"I don't…" Kai wasn't sure what he should say. Family had always meant pain, but the man before him had literally pulled him from the inferno to save him. Maybe family could be something good, something that he believed it could be when he was 5 years old. "I don't know. I need time….to think about this."

"I understand," Hideaki nodded sadly. "I won't push you, but please know I'm here whenever you want me."

Hideaki quietly left Kai to his thoughts, closing the door behind him.

"What do you think, Dranzer?"

_Kai, I know you are leery of trusting someone that you've only recently met. You are just barely beginning to trust your teammates as friends and you've known them for more than a year. But maybe, if you open your heart a little more, you might find some happiness for yourself._

"Kai?" Rei peeked his head timidly into the room. He hadn't joined the others as they went for a walk outside. Instead, he had stayed behind to watch the door to Kai's room. He hadn't wanted Kai to be alone with such emotionally laden information. "Do you want to talk? Or would you rather be alone for a bit."

"Come in, Rei," Kai sighed. _I haven't really been alone since the moment I bonded with you, Dranzer._

"How are you holding up? That was something pretty huge to discover."

"I don't know how I am. I'm still sort of processing it. Dranzer has been my only real family for the last few years. Grandfather stopped feeling like family about the time he killed Nadya."

"Do you want family?" Rei asked, perceiving the root of some of Kai's reluctance. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, after what you went through with your mother and grandfather."

"Truthfully, I don't," Kai answered honestly. "Dranzer has been the only family I needed. It makes me uncomfortable thinking about anyone else having a claim of ownership on me."

Rei nodded thoughtfully to Kai's words. "However, you would also have a 'claim of ownership,' as you put it, on Houo-san. Or put another way, you would have someone you could depend on, just like he could depend on you."

"Hn."

"If Houo-san was anything like your grandfather or your mother. Or even like his older brother, I would tell you to forget about him, that Dranzer and the 'Breakers are the only family you really need."

"But he isn't like them," Rei continued. "He's like Dranzer and probably a lot like how Ran was. He risked everything, not only to save you, but to save all of us. He acted exactly as I would have expected you would. He's a lot like you, too. And," Rei added smiling, "that's a good thing."

_The little tiger is right. You may think that you are fine, that you only need me as your family. But it isn't about what you can survive with, it's about what you deserve. You deserve people who care about you._

Kai didn't really answer either of them. He knew that they were both right. _After all, I trusted Rei and the others and more than validated that trust. They almost killed themselves trying to save me. I can't imagine better friends, or even better family. If Houo Hideaki is anything like them, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to get to know him._

"I can't see him as a father," Kai admitted. "I just don't know him well enough to know if I can trust him or not."

Rei nodded in acceptance. He wanted Kai to get the love of a family that he deserved, but he wasn't going to push his friend into anything he wasn't comfortable with. He unconsciously held his breath hoping that Kai had learned to open up enough to try trusting the man.

"But, how can I know if I can trust him or not without getting to know him," Kai reasoned. "I can't promise anything, but I'm willing to try to get to know him. Maybe, eventually…" Kai trailed off, not willing to trust enough to voice out loud the possibility of a loving family.

"That's all any of us can do." Rei smiled in answer. "And don't worry, if he does anything to hurt you, he'll have all the 'Breakers on his ass."

Kai laughed.

"Thanks for the sentiment, but if he decides to screw with me, I won't leave much of him for you guys to clean up."

Rei smiled at Kai's returned confidence. He hoped Houo Hideaki was prepared for the challenge. Getting to know Kai wasn't going to be anything like he could possible imagine.

Kai was exhausted from his exertions, both physical and mental, and laid back in his bed. He easily fell asleep knowing that Rei was watching out for him.

Rei sat smiling contentedly as the sound of Kai's soft, steady breathing drifted across the room.

_Finally, Kai's safe. He even opened himself up enough to accept our friendship. And I never expected that he might be willing to try to trust a virtual stranger in hopes of family, but he seems to be willing to give Houo-san a chance. Takao has always called you 'the iceman,' but maybe you've finally let a little sun in. Maybe you've discovered that the world isn't so cold after all._

_~The End~_

_~ and a new beginning~_

_laughs_ So many of you thought I'd kill Kai, but I just couldn't. I love him too much. And after all that torture and the edge of death moments, I just had to let him end with a little light. For all my angsty writing, I'm truly an optimist at heart.

Thank you for following me off all my cliffies and having faith that you would enjoy the story all the way to the end. I hope you did.

Oh yeah, also, I'd love to know your favorite line/quote. I won't be changing my summary with each chapter anymore, so I want to pick the best line in the story to represent it. I'd love to hear the moment you liked best so I can pick one to bring new people to my story. Thanks.

Please be kind and send a little light my way by leaving me a review. (I think 33 chapters might be worth it LOL) I'm really interested in what you think of my story. I'm thinking of trying to write a book based on my own ideas, but I am nervous about trying it.

I hope I've brought everyone a bit of Sun. Ja ne!


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